Brand switching & retail mix in the local retail sector

Abstract

The scope behind this study was to look into brand switching and the retail mix variables that could influence the consumer behaviour in the local retail context. The main objective of this study was to collect direct information from consumers that can help to better understand how the retail mix elements can affect their behaviours and attitudes towards brand loyalty by stimulating brand switching. Another secondary objective of this study was to determine if brand loyalty if still relevant and if so the influence it exerts on the Maltese consumer. The study will make use of both secondary and primary data sources. The secondary data used for this dissertation was mainly sourced from the material reviewed during the literature review such as books, learned journals and the internet. Primary data was collected by means of random intercept surveys carried out through face-to-face interviews with consumers shopping in various established supermarkets in different localities in Malta. A random sample survey of 259 participants was carried out. Despite the limitations, the researcher strongly believes that the information collected were sufficient to enable him to understand both the theoretical and the practical aspects of the area under study, and to arrive ultimately at valid conclusions and appropriate recommendations. Having said this, the researcher acknowledges that no research instrument is a perfect science and may tend to suffer from certain biases.