Tendency toward Domestic Product Consumption among Afghan Households (Case Study: Mazar-e-Sharif City, Balkh Province)

This study aims to examine the tendency toward consuming domestic products among household heads in Mazar-e-Sharif city, Balkh province. Adopting a descriptive–survey approach and utilizing a questionnaire based on the CETSCALE measurement, data were collected from 384 household heads through simple random sampling. The findings revealed that the level of consumer ethnocentrism was moderate (mean = 2.12 out of 5), with 52.1% of respondents exhibiting a moderate level, 27.1% a high level, and 20.8% a low level. Key obstacles identified included low quality of domestic products and non-competitive pricing, smuggling of foreign goods, and the influence of trade culture with neighboring countries. Spearman’s correlation and multiple regression analyses indicated a positive and significant relationship between attitudes toward foreign products and recommendations for improving domestic product quality (r = 0.213, p < 0.05), as well as the influence of product quality (β = 0.42, p < 0.01) and government support policies (β = 0.31, p < 0.05) on the tendency toward domestic product consumption. Recommendations include enhancing product quality, implementing competitive pricing, controlling smuggling, strengthening supportive policies, and promoting national advertising campaigns emphasizing the cultural identity of Mazar-e-Sharif in Balkh province. This study provides practical strategies for strengthening the national economy and reducing dependency on imports. Key Words: Consumer Ethnocentrism, Support for Domestic Production, Afghan Consumers, Multiple Regression Analysis.