TITLE:
Effect of Packaging on Perceived Quality and Brand Loyalty: The Mediating Role of Brand Association in Over-the-Counter Market
AUTHORS:
John Mensah, Peter Kwasi Oppong, Matilda Addae
KEYWORDS:
Packaging, Brand Association, Brand Quality, Brand Loyalty, Herbal Medicine
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Business and Management,
Vol.10 No.1,
January
18,
2022
ABSTRACT: Distinctive
packaging design and strong brand association are essential elements to
increase brand quality and customer loyalty which can insulate a company
against competitive actions in a retail environment. However, there is a
relative scarcity of studies on the impact of packaging on brand quality and
loyalty through the mediating effect of brand association in the over- the-counter health market. Against this background, the current study
aimed to investigate the packaging’s effect on brand quality and loyalty through
the intervening effect of brand association in the over-the-counter health
market. Using a systematic sampling technique, survey questionnaires were
distributed to 348 customers shopping in the over-the-counter market. The data
gathered were statistically analysed using structural equation modelling via
SPSS Amos 20. The research revealed that brand association partially mediates
the path between packaging and brand quality but fully mediates the packaging’s
effect on brand loyalty in the over-the-counter health market. The study also
found that brand quality plays a partial role in the impact of brand association on loyalty in the
over-the-counter health market. The study, therefore, established that
the interplay of product packaging and brand association are crucial elements
for enhancing the brand quality and the customers’ loyalty in the
over-the-counter health market. Besides, the research confirmed that enhanced
association and quality are pre-requisite for developing and enriching loyalty
in the over-the-counter health market.