Exploring cultural influences on national alcoholic beverage purchases: a full latent variable structural equation model

Purpose This study aims to achieve two key objectives. The initial objective is to construct a full latent structural equation model (SEM) for examining the cultural influences on the consumer purchasing habits of rakija, a culturally endorsed alcoholic beverage in Serbia. The second objective is to assess qualitatively the model’s suitability for analyzing alcoholic beverages that are culturally specific and nationally recognized rather than universally applicable. Design/methodology/approach Data for this study are collected online via a survey method. The sample consists of 393 ( n = 393) rakija consumers. Findings The main finding of this study is that culture significantly influences consumer behavior and purchasing habits regarding a national drink, not only directly but also through its mediators. Moreover, the results of the multigroup analysis confirmed that the group of rakija drinkers who preferred this culturally and nationally endorsed beverage differed significantly from the group of rakija drinkers who still preferred beer. Originality/value The final SEM demonstrates broader applicability and can be used to examine the purchasing tendencies of alcoholic beverages in various nations, as long as they possess cultural significance and heritage.