The Influence of Procedure Practices on Perceived Sustainable Consumer Behaviour in Tanzania: A Practice-Based Perspective in Selected Supermarkets in Dar es Salaam

Abstract

This study examines the influence of procedure practices on perceived sustainable consumer behaviour (SCB) in the rapidly expanding formal retail sector of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Moving away from traditional individualistic psychological frameworks that struggle to bridge the consumer attitude-behaviour gap, this research applies social practice theory to shift analytical attention toward the structural and institutional dimensions of consumption. Procedure practices were operationalised through three dimensions: instructions, guidelines, and regulations. Using an explanatory cross-sectional survey design, primary data were collected from a final sample of 298 supermarket staff members drawn from 72 systematically sampled medium-to-large supermarkets, with up to 5 staff members selected from each supermarket. Data were screened for outliers and missing values and analysed using SPSS Version 28, employing descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression. The regression model showed a strong fit, with procedural practices collectively explaining 83.1% of the variance in staff-perceived sustainable consumer behaviour. At the dimensional level, regulation-based practices (β = 0.205, p < 0.001) and guideline-based practices (β = 0.174, p = 0.001) demonstrated a significant positive association with perceived sustainable consumer behaviour. In contrast, instruction-based practices did not show a significant association (β = -0.004, p = 0.937). These findings indicate that, from the perspective of supermarket staff, sustainable consumer behaviour is more strongly associated with formal rules and operational expectations than with instructional communication alone. The study suggests that supermarket managers should prioritise structural and regulatory approaches over passive promotional media, and that policymakers should consider strengthening standardised retail sustainability regulations.