Determinants of consumers'willingness to purchase green products- A case of green foods

Abstract

The main objective of this study is to examine the determinants of consumers’ willingness to purchase green products. The study applied a non-experimental design called descriptive survey research design. The target population for this study were of green foods consumers in Kigali City, particularly at Simba Supermarket which is the largest outlet with green foods. The study population is 140 respondents. Based on this sales annual report, 60 respondents were selected at the Main branch in Kigali while 40 respondents each where selected the two (2) branches of Kicukiro and Kimihurura. According to Krejcie and Morgan’s 1970 table, for a population of 140 respondents, a sample size of 103 respondents were obtained. A sample size of 103 respondents was obtained using a non-probability type of sampling called convenience sampling. This study used open-ended and close-ended types of questionnaires as the data collection tools to be used by the researcher. The data collected was first edited for uniformity, precision, wholeness, consistency and was later arranged to enable tabulation coding before the final analysis. The data was then entered into a computer program called Statistical Package for Social Sciences (version 21) for analysis and interpretation. Descriptive analysis was used to analyse the data received from the respondents. Chi-square test and a multivariate linear regression model was further used to examine the relationship between the dependent variables and the set of independent variables at 95% level of confidence. Study results revealed that that the majority of the respondents who took part in the study purchase green foods, have the ability to distinguish green foods from non-green foods and mainly purchase fresh foods. Study results further revealed that the majority of the respondents who took part in the study purchase green foods from supermarket and they purchase green foods for between 1-2 times a weeks. Furthermore, the study results show that majority of the respondents agreed that they appreciate the package of green foods with a mean of 4.0 and a standard deviation of 0.331. Last but not least, chi-square results and multivariate linear regression model revealed that there is a significant relationship between income level, education level, green product price and consumer’s willingness to purchase green foods at 5% significance level. The study therefore recommends that environmental education campaigns closely linked with daily life, having a more participatory approach can help in the promotion of environmental knowledge and strengthening the consumer behavior towards the purchase of green foods.