Do Cultural Capital and Conspicuous Consumption Influence Counterfeit Purchase Attitude? Evidence from Brazilian Market

This article analyses the influence of economic benefits, brand affection, cultural capital, and conspicuous consumption on the attitude toward counterfeit luxury products. A survey was carried out in places where these products are sold in the cities of Belo Horizonte and Nova Serrana, in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The interviewees were divided into two groups (high and low cultural capital) and the data obtained were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling. We found that brand affection, conspicuous consumption and cultural capital do not influence the attitude about counterfeit luxury products. Therefore, the economic benefit was the only factor capable of explaining the attitude. In comparative terms, the results were similar, but the economic benefits are more relevant for high cultural capital respondents.