Determinants of Intention to Buy Packaged Foods and Drinks in Ethiopia: Evidence from a Cross-Sectional Survey Design

Abstract

Consumers’ buying decisions are very dynamic and complex. Various factors, including perceptions,behaviors, and attitudes influence consumer purchase intentions for Packaged foods and beverages. In light of the rising consumption of packaged foods and beverages, this study examines the psychological factors that influence consumer behavior and purchasing decisions in the Central, North, and South Gondar Zone, Ethiopia. A cross-sectional survey design was employed to achieve this. Using a convenient sampling technique, 411 respondents were selected. The data was collected using a standardized instrument that measures the buying intentions of customer behavior and analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics. The finding indicates that the independent variables (attitude, perceived value, perceived quality, advertisement, packaging, and price) explain 34.3 % of the variance in intention to buy a product. Consumers' attitude to a product is the most important predictor of buying intention, followed by the perceived quality of a product. The study concludes that psychological attributes, specifically consumers' attitudes towards a product and perceptions of its quality, play a pivotal role in the decision to purchase packaged foods and beverages. The study recommends that marketing strategies prioritize psychological attributes, specifically consumers' attitudes and perceived product quality, as fundamental drivers of purchase behavior of packaged foods and drinks.