Sustainability perceptions and consumer brand preferences: Evidence from the milk and dairy products market in Azerbaijan

Abstract This study examines the relationship between sustainability perceptions and consumer brand preferences in Azerbaijan’s milk and dairy products market. A cross-sectional online questionnaire survey in Baku produced 545 valid responses from consumers with dairy purchasing experience, recruited through convenience sampling. Sustainability perceptions were examined across four dimensions: environmental responsibility, ethical and animal welfare practices, health and food safety assurance, and social responsibility and transparency. The analysis combined exploratory factor analysis, internal consistency assessment, regression analysis and structural equation modeling. The reported results indicate positive associations between each sustainability dimension and consumer brand preference. Health and food safety assurance had the largest reported standardized coefficient, followed by ethical and animal welfare practices; environmental responsibility and social responsibility and transparency had smaller positive coefficients. The findings suggest that consumers’ evaluations of responsible production are connected with their preferences for dairy brands and provide a basis for further research on sustainability-related brand evaluation in an emerging market. For dairy producers and brand managers, the study highlights the potential relevance of credible health, safety and ethical communication. The cross-sectional design and convenience sample limit causal interpretation and population generalizability. JEL classification: D12; M31; Q13