The EFFECT OF BRAND LOVE ON BRAND LOYALTY AMONG LOCAL CHAIN SUPERMARKET IN NAIROBI COUNTY, KENYA.

Abstract

The retail sector has experienced rapid growth and transformation over the last decade, shaped by intensified competition, the COVID-19 pandemic, technological innovation and changing consumer preferences. This dynamic has had a negative impact on brand loyalty worldwide, and similar patterns are apparent in African markets. Despite the increasing importance of customer loyalty, there is limited empirical evidence of brand loyalty induction in Kenyan supermarkets. This study examined the impact of switching costs on brand loyalty. The study was based on the theory of social exchange. A descriptive survey design was used, focusing on eight local supermarket chains in the Nairobi area with established loyalty schemes. Using an inadequate stratified sample, 384 respondents were selected. Data were collected by means of structured questionnaires, coded, sorted and analyzed using the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression method in the Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS). Reliability was assessed by Cronbach's alpha and cumulative reliability and the construction and content validity were confirmed. The findings showed that switching costs have a positive impact on brand loyalty, underlining their central role in maintaining consumer brand loyalty. The study contributes theoretically by incorporating several theories of behavioral explanations for loyalty in emerging markets, and empirically by providing evidence from the retail sector in Kenya. In practice, the results highlight the need for supermarkets to highlight strategies that increase and change costs rather than relying mainly on sales promotions. These findings will be of value to academic theory as well as to practical application Key words: Switching cost, Brand loyalty, Retail Sector