Factors Influencing Consumer Purchasing Decisions for Fruit Drinks: The Role of Nutritional Claims in Gampaha District, Sri Lanka

Nutritional claims refer to statements or labels on food and beverage products that highlight their nutritional content, health benefits, or ingredient-related attributes. These claims are commonly used by manufacturers to influence consumer purchasing decisions by emphasizing a product’s perceived healthiness and nutritional value. This study aimed to examine the impact of nutritional claims on consumers’ purchasing decisions regarding fruit drinks in Gampaha District. Primary data were collected from 150 consumers through a market survey using a pre-tested questionnaire conducted from June to August 2023. A convenience sampling method was employed to select the consumers. Multiple regression analysis was used, with consumer purchasing decisions as the dependent variable, while independent variables included consumer preferences, purchase intentions, nutritional claims, packaging design, and labeling information. Hypotheses were formulated based on a conceptual framework derived from existing literature on nutritional claims. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis. The results revealed that consumer perception of healthiness has the strongest positive impact on purchasing decisions, as indicated by the highest coefficient value. All structural model path coefficients were positive and statistically significant. Additionally, consumer preferences played a crucial role, while product labeling and nutritional claims further influenced purchasing behavior. Future studies may extend this research by considering a longer study period, different market sectors, and alternative statistical methods to obtain more comprehensive insights.