Perceived equity in shared energy cost among shopping malls tenants: implications for retail sustainability in Ghana

Purpose Ensuring energy affordability across commercial buildings is challenging, particularly in Africa, where an unstable electricity supply exacerbates the issue. This study examines tenants' perceptions and the impact of fairness in shared energy billing systems within Ghanaian shopping malls. Design/methodology/approach The study employed a cross-sectional quantitative design. Structured survey questionnaires were used, grounded in the Expectancy Theory. Data were collected from 211 retail tenants in the major malls of Accra and Kumasi. The analytical approach employs Exploratory Factor Analysis and One-Way ANOVA. Findings The study found that tenants are more likely to engage in energy-saving behaviours if they perceive the shared energy expense system as fair, transparent and responsive. A dominant latent factor accounted for 66.6% of the variance, reflecting its combined influence on perceptions of billing fairness, trust in management, perceived behavioural control and motivation. Tenants showed varying degrees of satisfaction with shared energy cost plans, depending on tenancy length (F = 3.823, p = 0.031), shop size (F = 6.431, p = 0.003) and business sector (F = 5.223, p = 0.007). Practical implications In practice, there is a need to provide clear, itemised monthly reports detailing allocations of energy costs. Quarterly forums or consultation meetings should be established by leasing and operations management units to discuss issues and stay informed about billing changes. Theoretically, integrating fairness and trust constructs to explain motivational dynamics in shared energy billing in commercial systems improves Vroom's Expectancy Theory. Originality/value The study positions energy equity as both a behavioural and a structural challenge in shopping malls, primarily in low- and middle-income countries.