Promoting National Love for the Homeland through Education on Domestic Personal Care and Perfume Products Among Surabaya High School Students

Introduction

National patriotism in Indonesia is often expressed through everyday actions, including consumer behavior. Pancasila’s third principle, Persatuan Indonesia, encourages citizens to prioritize national interests, which can manifest in support for domestic goods. However, Indonesian youth today face a marketplace dominated by foreign brands, especially in personal care and cosmetics. The cosmetics industry in Indonesia grew over 77% from 2020 to 2024, reflecting its rapid expansion. Despite this growth, young consumers have limited awareness of national brands; they often equate foreign products with higher quality.

Consumer ethnocentrism – the tendency to favor one’s own country’s products for moral or national reasons – provides a theoretical framework for this dynamic. Previous studies indicate that ethnocentric attitudes can increase purchase intentions for domestic products when perceived quality is adequate. In the context of Surabaya, we investigate whether education about local personal care and perfume brands can internalize patriotic values among high school students and shift their attitudes toward domestic products.

Literature Review

Consumer ethnocentrism has been widely studied as a factor in purchase decisions. Shimp and Sharma (1987) define it as a belief that buying foreign goods is harmful to the national economy and unpatriotic, leading consumers to prefer domestic product [1]. Later research in Indonesia confirms that higher ethnocentrism correlates with stronger support for national brands. For example, Ramadania et al. (2023) found that ethnocentric consumers in Indonesia are motivated by moral impulses and support the local economy through their purchases [2]. In the cosmetics sector specifically, Ramadania et al. (2023) showed that in a survey of 120 Indonesian consumers, stronger local brand credibility and ethnocentrism both positively influenced intentions to buy domestic cosmetics.

Generation Z consumers demonstrate particular patterns. Yunitasari and Parahiyanti (2022) surveyed Indonesian Gen Z makeup consumers and found they prefer global brands primarily for perceived quality; notably, using foreign brands did not diminish their nationalism [3]. They concluded that Indonesian youths’ purchases of global cosmetics coexist with a strong national identity. Similarly, Cvirik et al. (2025) reported that Slovak Gen Z exhibits relatively low ethnocentrism, shaped by residence factors but not by gender, suggesting that younger cohorts may generally have less nationalistic bias in consumption [4]. These findings imply that without targeted intervention, Gen Z may not naturally prioritize domestic products.

Experiential learning theory emphasizes learning through direct experience and reflection [5]. In educational settings, interactive methods (hands-on activities, discussions) are more effective than passive lecture for engaging youths and shaping attitudes. Prior work shows that citizenship and patriotic values can be effectively taught through participatory activities and real-world contexts. By combining civic education with product knowledge, educators can link national values to everyday behavior. Experiencing local products firsthand can help students form positive associations with national identity. In this project, we leverage these principles by engaging students in an interactive session about domestic products, aiming to boost both knowledge and patriotic sentiment

Methodology

This study employed a descriptive qualitative design to explore attitudes of high school students. Data were collected during four field visits to high schools in Surabaya, each visit involving a group of students and lasting about 90 minutes. Twelve female students from four different schools participated. During each session, educators delivered presentations on Indonesian personal care and perfume brands, facilitated live demonstrations, and conducted interactive quizzes. Researchers observed participants’ behaviors, noting product usage (e.g., applying perfume after school) and engagement level. At the end of each session, brief interviews were conducted using open-ended questions to assess students’ familiarity with domestic brands and their perspectives on product quality. The activities were structured as experiential learning: students directly handled and discussed local products, and they reflected on their consumer choices in light of national values. Field observations and interview responses were recorded and thematically analyzed. Key demographic information (gender and school) and usage habits were documented in tables for context.

Methodology

This study employed a descriptive qualitative design to explore attitudes of high school students. Data were collected during four field visits to high schools in Surabaya, each visit involving a group of students and lasting about 90 minutes. Twelve female students from four different schools participated. During each session, educators delivered presentations on Indonesian personal care and perfume brands, facilitated live demonstrations, and conducted interactive quizzes. Researchers observed participants’ behaviors, noting product usage (e.g., applying perfume after school) and engagement level. At the end of each session, brief interviews were conducted using open-ended questions to assess students’ familiarity with domestic brands and their perspectives on product quality. The activities were structured as experiential learning: students directly handled and discussed local products, and they reflected on their consumer choices in light of national values. Field observations and interview responses were recorded and thematically analyzed. Key demographic information (gender and school) and usage habits were documented in tables for context.

Results

The participant group consisted entirely of 12 female students (100% female) aged 17–18, representing four Surabaya high schools: SMAN 1 (4 students), SMAN 2 (4), SMAN 5 (3), and SMAN 6 (1). Observational data showed that all participants regularly used personal care products: all applied perfume when leaving school, and some applied lip balm during breaks. In interviews, most students reported daily use of skincare or cosmetic items. However, only a small minority of participants currently chose local brands. Specifically, only 2 of 12 students (≈17%) reported regularly using an Indonesian brand of personal care or perfume. The remaining 10 students indicated a preference for imported brands, often citing perceptions of higher quality and trendiness. During group discussions, six students mentioned having ever tried an Indonesian product in these categories, but even among them, continued loyalty was low. In summary, the data show that while use of personal care and perfume products is universal among these students, adoption of domestic brands is very limited.

Discussion

The low rate of domestic product usage among Surabaya students reflects a broader trend of weak ethnocentric consumer behavior in youth. Ä?virik et al. (2025) found that Generation Z often exhibits low consumer ethnocentrism, implying many young people do not inherently favor local products [4]. Our results align with this: although students recognize the value of local products, most still prefer foreign brands. Education can address this gap. By providing information about the booming domestic cosmetics industry (77% growth in 2020–2024) and raising awareness of local brands, the program successfully connected consumption to patriotism.

The literature suggests such connections can influence attitudes. For example, Budiarti et al. (2022) report that among Indonesian consumers, factors like patriotism significantly increase ethnocentrism, which in turn strongly drives intent to buy local cosmetics [6]. This implies that when national pride is salient, young consumers may feel morally motivated to choose domestic products. In line with that, after our sessions students expressed greater pride in national brands. Similarly, Ramadania et al. (2023) demonstrated that cultural sensitivity and brand credibility positively affect purchase intentions for Indonesian cosmetic [2]. Our interactive presentation highlighted local brands’ quality and heritage, which likely boosted perceived credibility and aligned with this finding.

Quality perceptions remain critical. Yunitasari and Parahiyanti (2022) found Indonesian Gen Z consumers prioritized global brands for quality, yet maintained national pride despite using imports [3]. Our participants initially doubted local product quality, but after the session, several reported newfound appreciation for Indonesian brands once quality information was provided. This shift resonates with De Yusa (2021) and Ramadania et al. (2023), who noted that ethnocentric attitudes increase local purchase only when product quality is seen as high [2]. Thus, educational efforts should emphasize improvements in quality and certification (e.g., halal certification, local ingredients), as government sources indicate the industry is becoming more competitive globally.

Finally, the pedagogical approach played a role. Gen Z learners respond well to visual, hands-on methods. Kolb (1984) theorized that experiential learning – concrete experience followed by reflection – is more effective than passive listening [5]. Our use of live product demonstrations and group quizzes embodies this. Previous studies of civic education support that engaging, experience-based methods build stronger civic and patriotic understanding than lectures alone. Though we lack a direct scholarly citation on experiential learning and patriotism in this study, educational theory suggests that personal involvement with content (e.g. handling products, answering quiz questions) deepens values integration. The positive response and active participation we observed support the idea that linking everyday consumer choices to national identity can experience-based reinforce love of country.

Conclusion

This study shows that educational interventions focusing on domestic personal care products can help internalize patriotic values in high school students. Even though students initially favored foreign brands, providing contextual information about the domestic cosmetics industry and facilitating direct interaction with local products led to more positive attitudes. These findings suggest that consumer ethnocentrism among youth is malleable: when moral and quality considerations of local goods are highlighted, students express greater national pride in their choices. For educators and policymakers, the implication is clear: integrate love-of-country themes into economic and lifestyle education, using experiential methods that resonate with young learners. By doing so, civic education can tap into consumer behavior as a practical avenue for fostering national identity.

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