Abstract

Several studies show that the consumer ethnocentrism is capable of influencing consumption patterns both in terms of negative impact on consumer attitudes toward foreign products and positive influence on the intention to purchase domestic offers. The study extends the investigation of this research area toward Muslim countries, analysing the impact of interactions between consumer ethnocentrism and halal trust on the use of country image components, as well as the propensity to consume halal products from non-Muslim countries. The analytical framework was tested through an empirical study conducted on a sample of Moroccan consumers, called to evaluate Made in Italy Halal products. The findings contribute to advancing the theory and empirical studies on consumer ethnocentrism in a cross-cultural perspective. Moreover, the results can support international companies to design effective marketing strategies capable of exploiting the potential of emerging Muslim countries.

Key words: Ethnocentrism, general country image, Halal trust, product beliefs, product receptivity.