‘Made in Paraguay’, But is it Preferred by Paraguayans? A Brief Report on Consumer Patriotism, Consumer Animosity, and Consumer Xenocentrism

From April to early July 2022, 486 mostly urban middle- and upper-class Paraguayan consumers shared their views concerning consumption preferences for imported versus domestic products. This brief report highlights the results of three areas of exploration: consumer ethnocentrism, consumer animosity, and consumer xenocentrism. In short, Paraguayan consumers are relatively open to foreign made products, less so than Brazilians but more so than Peruvians. Paraguayan consumers are not exceedingly hostile to products made in Argentina, Brazil, China or the USA. However, in relative comparison, products from China and the USA carry less animus for Paraguayan consumers than products from Argentina or Brazil. Additionally, Paraguayan consumers may discount the value of local-origin goods (consumer xenocentrism) vis-à-vis foreign goods due to a believed inferiority of goods produced in Paraguay.