SUPERMARKET STORE BRANDS ATTITUDE ANTECEDENTS: A CASE OF SHOPPERS IN NAKURU TOWN, KENYA

Abstract

Store brands are gaining popularity in Kenya and giving local manufactures of well-known brands a run for their money. Supermarket chains in Kenya are now packaging and branding their own products more aggressively as competition forces firms to come up with more innovative ways to lock in consumers and increase earnings. Nakuru town has seen supermarket chains introduce store brands with a view of increasing consumer loyalty, attracting consumers and warding off competition. However, there is no empirical evidence as to the association of shopper characteristics and attitudes towards store brands in the retail chains. This study therefore seeks to address this gap by investigating the relationship between shopper characteristics and attitude towards store brands of supermarket shoppers in Nakuru town. The study will adopt a cross sectional survey design with shoppers as the target population. A survey instrument developed around four shoppers’ characteristics of value consciousness, brand loyalty, store loyalty and smart shopper self-perception will be used. A representative sample of 400 respondents was determined using both proportional and random sampling techniques. A chi square test was carried out to establish the relationships between shopper characteristics and attitude toward store brands. Results show a significant association between shopper characteristics (value consciousness, smart shopper self-perception, store loyalty and store brand loyalty) and attitude toward store brands.