Background:
The present study is the first study of Danish consumers on compulsive buying. It draws on a
representative sample of 1,015 Danish consumers (aged between 15 and 84 years) and extends prior
research undertaken in other countries (such as Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Canada, the
US). It is the first study to shed light on the situation in a Scandinavian context and is designed to
allow for a comparison with the situation in other countries.
Results:
The prevalence of compulsive buying tendencies in Denmark are: 9.75% of the respondents show
compensatory buying behavior and 5.81% show compulsive buying tendencies. These percentages
are similar to those found in Germany and slightly lower than in Austria. They are also within the
range of preferences in other countries.
Regarding socio‐demographics, age and sex play a decisive role while marital status, education and
income cannot be associated with compulsive buying. If there is such a thing like “a typical
shopaholic”, it would be a women aged between 25 and 44 years, disregarding whether she is a
single or not, has a low or high education and income. The internet offers shopping opportunities
that lure both, potential shopaholics and compensatory buyers more than inconspicuous buyers.
Compensatory and compulsive buyers have far more customer cards than others.
Conclusion:
To sum up, this study identifies diverse factors that are related to compulsive buying behavior. To
find out what cause is and what effect, more qualitative research as well as experimental studies are
needed. Additionally, more intercultural comparisons could lead to insights into the effects of the
social and cultural consumption environment, i.e., the role of norms, values, policies, and the mass
media on buying behavior. This type of research has, to date, not been undertaken in any
Scandinavian country. A first step is the comparison of Danish, Austrian and German data which is
currently undertaken. The results of the present study together with future analyses could feed into
strengthening consumer education and informing debt counseling and consumer advice. It is also
relevant data for credit card companies and retail
