A Study On Consumer Behaviour Towards Ayurvedic Medicines In Gujarat

Abstract

Ayurveda is an Indian origin system of medicine. The provenance of ayurveda newlinegoes back nearly for over 5000 years. It is based on logical grounds and it has newlinesurvived as a separate entity from distant olden times to the present day. The newlinefundamentals on which the ayurvedic system is based are essentially true for newlineall times and do not change from age to age. Existence and use of ayurvedic newlinemedicines and therapies are also mentioned in ancient epics such as newlineRamayana and Mahabharata. newlineAyurveda, being traditional Indian system of health care captures much newlineinterest to the Indians especially, to enlighten the quest for present consumermarket trend and demand, its global repute, related positive and negative newlinefacets etc. Consumers today face a wide array of choice options. They have newlinetheir own reasons for choosing type of medicines or health care system. Many newlineresearchers have found that majority of consumers selection is based on newlinecriteria such as social and cultural trends, experiences, health beliefs, newlinefinancial means and psychological aspects. However, consumer behaviour is newlinenot static. It undergoes an alteration over a period of time according to the newlinenature of products. The interdependence of consumer behaviour and newlinemedicinal demand is a time tested phenomenon. Hence, it requires newlinemicroscopic investigation to define present market trend. newlineReview of literature has revealed various parameters such as awareness, newlineperceived knowledge, preference and demand for traditional ayurvedic newlinemedicine among consumers and patients, consumer behaviour that can be newlinefurther checked for present time. Though, many researches have been newlineundertaken about aspects covering consumer behaviour, opportunities and newlinechallenges faced by ayurvedic industry, a thorough study regarding consumer newlineawareness, perceptions of Government ayurvedic medical officers regarding newlinepatient s reliance in ayurveda and prevailing market trend for ayurveda by newlineIV newlinetaking views of ayurvedic drug retailers covering major cities of Gujarat state newlineis still an untapped area. Thus, the resear