Journal of Marketing and Market Studies 08/2025

The aim of this article is to present the characteristics of the phenomenon of reducing online use and the results of a preliminary, exploratory qualitative study conducted with a group of young people. The aim of the qualitative research was to diagnose the experiences and readiness of young people to undertake activities related to reducing Internet use and to identify factors supporting and hindering the process of reducing online activity. The survey was conducted in October 2024 among students of the Warsaw School of Economics. The method used was a critical analysis of the literature on the subject and a group interview, the data from which were analysed with the qualitative data analysis software MaxQda. The findings indicate the existence of a paradox of digital self-regulation. On the one hand, respondents recognize and perfectly describe the negative consequences of their excessive online presence, declaring the need to limit its use. They are also familiar with the various tools supporting the reduction of Internet use. On the other hand, however, they do not take real action towards digital self-regulation. This means that young people remain “suspended” between a growing self-awareness of their own digital habits and the difficulty of taking real action to reduce their attachment to the web. This internal conflict means that, although they have the knowledge and tools to self-regulate, actually changing their behaviour remains only declarative.

The Polish brand Unitra, once a flagship of domestic hi-fi electronics during the socialist era, has recently returned to the market in a symbolically charged form. Revived by Michał Kiciński, co-founder of CD Projekt, Unitra is no longer merely a relic of the past but a premium brand deeply embedded in discourses of national pride, technological nostalgia, and cultural revalorization. This paper explores the cultural dynamics behind the reactivation of Unitra, analysing how owners and consumers engage with and contribute to the brand’s new meaning. Using a case study enriched by critical discourse analysis (CDA), this paper examines how narrative representations reconstruct the symbolic legacy of Unitra. The analysis contributes to the literature on cultural branding, nostalgic consumption, and post-socialist brand heritage by situating the revival of Unitra within broader cultural shifts in Polish society.

The article focuses on analysing the role of running in fostering the well-being of individuals belonging to the silver generation, defined as a social group that includes people over the age of 50. In the face of dynamic demographic changes and the growing proportion of seniors in the social structure, actions that support their physical and mental condition and social activity are gaining particular importance. The aim of the study, following a literature review and analysis of empirical research findings, was to answer the question of whether running helps secure the three key dimensions of well-being for runners in this group: physical, mental, and social.

This research examined whether increasing social distance – shifting from decisions for oneself to those for a close other – affects preferences in time–money trade-offs. Across two experiments, participants evaluated service options differing in duration and cost. We hypothesized that decisions made on behalf of others would reflect a stronger preference for time-saving over cost-saving options. In Study 1 (N = 133), a binary choice task showed that decisions for others more often favoured time-saving but costlier options, and required longer deliberation. In Study 2 (N = 131), a matching procedure asked participants to state the monetary value of faster options; here, the social distance effect disappeared, suggesting that the more analytical task format attenuated group differences. The findings indicate that the impact of social distance on consumer decisions depends on task structure, with practical implications for how offer formats can influence whether customers prioritize time or money.

This study examines how eco-labels shape consumer trust and purchase intentions among Generation Z in Poland and India – two contexts that differ markedly in regulatory oversight and market conditions. Using a cross-sectional online survey (N = 167; Poland: 82, India: 85) based on a non-probability convenience sample of university students and early-career adults, we measured awareness, trust and purchase intention with validated items and analysed between-country differences with independent-samples t-tests and chi-square tests (effect sizes and 95% CIs reported). Brief qualitative insights from open ended responses were used to contextualise quantitative patterns. Results indicate higher eco-label awareness and trust in Poland, consistent with EU credibility and clearer certification, while Indian respondents report lower trust and greater price sensitivity linked to information gaps, affordability/availability constraints and scepticism about monitoring. The findings, positioned against recent literature, suggest practical steps for regulators and marketers – improving transparency and communication of certification, strengthening education and label clarity, and tailoring pricing/distribution to local constraints – while acknowledging limitations related to sampling and self-reports and outlining directions for broader, representative follow-ups.