PURCHASING DECISIONS OF FOOD AND HYGIENE-PRODUCTS DURING

PANDEMIC

An Undergraduate Thesis Submitted to the Faculty

of the College of Business and Accountancy

Tarlac State University

Tarlac City

In Partial fulfillment of the

Requirements for the Subject

Business Research

APOLTO, JOHN PAUL

CASTRO, IAN PAOLO L.

CO, KAREN MAE

RESURRECCION, ADRIAN S.

SERQUIÑA, JIM ROVIC

SEPTEMBER 2021
 Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

INTRODUCTION

In early December 2019, an outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused

by a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), occurred in
Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China. On January 30, 2020 the World Health Organization
declared the outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. As of February
14, 2020, 49,053 laboratory-confirmed and 1,381 deaths have been reported globally.
Perceived risk of acquiring disease has led many governments to institute a variety of control
measures. We conducted a literature review of publicly available information to summarize
knowledge about the pathogen and the current epidemic. In this literature review, the causative
agent, pathogenesis and immune responses, epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment and
management of the disease, control and preventions strategies are all reviewed.

According to (Keller, 1993) the tastes or tendencies of customers in liking a product

are very subjective, this also determines how the customer’s attitude towards brand assessment.
Which will be a reference in determining how a customer’s assessment of product benefits or
performance is also influenced by the image displayed by the brand. The image displayed by
the brand also still has the possibility of inequality in perception of that image among
customers.

As per Faircloth et al., (2010). Brand image can initially appear when customer
awareness increases about the brand which is followed by other supporting factors such as
customer attitudes and influencers’ associations on the assessment of the use of the brand’s
products

According to Vahie et al., (2006) there are some experiences of customers when using
products from certain brands where many products are found to be in poor condition and found
defects, this will give a perception of the brand image being unfavorable and negatively
impacting. Meanwhile, sales made online can give another impression where the appearance
of the website and the convenience offered is very important for the audience who wants to
evaluate the product without having to look directly. Web designs that are made as attractive
and comfortable as possible can create a sense of credibility, the idea that the money spent and
the products received are comparable and also leave a good impression for the audience.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

To strengthen the design and implementation of policies, including for the health
system and health services, to treat people living prevent and control their risk factors during
the Covid-19 outbreak.

To Illustrate how does people affect their buying behavior while we having a
COVID19 pandemic outbreak.

Respondent’s
Affect of the brand
profile
preference in
• Age purchasing

• Sex • Brand Loyalty

• Occupation • Price
• Quality What
• Risk intervention plan
can be proposed
from the study. Implication of the
study.

Figure 1. Paradigm of the Study

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This research aims to examine how does the Covid-19 pandemic affect brand
preference in purchasing of food and personal-hygiene products.

Specifically, it sought to answer the following problems:

1. How the respondents are described according to the following:

1.1. Age;

1.2. Sex;

1.3. Occupation?

2. How does the Covid-19 pandemic affect the brand preference in purchasing of food and
personal-hygiene products?

2.1 Brand Loyalty;

2.2. Price;

2.3. Quality;

2.4. Risk?

3. What intervention plan can be proposed from the study?

4. What are the implications of the study can be used by managers to manage effectively
during a pandemic?

HYPOTHESIS:

H1: 1.1. Perceived quality will mediate between brand awareness and purchase
intention.

1.2. A Significant relationship exist between brand behavior, quality, impulsiveness

buying and consumer buying behavior

1.3. The period of brand influences the decision of consumers.

1.4. Price will be affected to purchase product brands.

 1.5. Perceived quality had a positive influence on brand attitudes.

1.6. Food and hygiene products brand awareness negatively affects the risk perceptions
of brand products

1.7. Brand awareness will be positively affected to brand loyalty.

1.8. Food and hygiene products brand image positively affects consumer brand
preference.

H2: Using the market mix of product, price, place and promotion to set out the detail
of planned intervention.

H3: Provide the employees with ongoing tangible and emotional support to work
remotely and balance new demands in both work and family roles.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The impact of a pandemic on brand preference in purchasing decisions of food and

hygiene products: a COVID- 19 perspective.

This study is surmised significant and important to the following group of individuals
and researchers:

To Consumers. Whatever findings this study results to, could influence the consumers
behaviors in making decisions towards purchasing products. The displayed results could be the
consumers outline in thinking what are the products that needs to reconsider and buy.

To Store Management. The findings or results of this study could be use as marketing
leverage of store managements in what brands will be highlighted as the consumers preference.
This brings avenue to the management on what promotions they can use to the outlier products.
In addition, these data foresee the number of stocks a store needs to purchase on a move
forward.

To Distributors and Suppliers. This research is intended to give data to the

distributors on which brands are good in the market. With the law of demand and supplies
distributors or suppliers can use this study’s results in making considerations how much bulk
of stocks they need to supply or distribute to the market.

To Microbusiness. With the booming of microbusiness in our country, the findings

of this study could inform our entrepreneurs with what are the brands or products that are in-
demand in the market. It opens an avenue for our online-sellers and businessmen regarding the
flow of products around the country that they could consider towards what to resell or offer.

To Future Researcher. This study will be an additional factor you might consider and
frame. This research could serve as an available related local study you might include as a
reference. It gives limited but useful data in the timeframe which the study was conducted.

Scope and Delimitation of the Study

This study is designed to have a thorough knowledge regarding the purchasing

decisions of food and hygiene products of consumers during this pandemic. This involves data

gathering through both surveys and interviews of consumers in Tarlac City. It aims

to determine what are the different factors that affect the decision making of the consumers.
This research focuses on consumers buying behavioral changes that have been since the
pandemic emerged.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

The following terms are defined in accordance with their operational and theoretical
meaning to have a working knowledge and better understanding of the research study.

Brand Loyalty. It is the tendency of consumers to continue buying a particular brand

instead of trying a different one. To the study, it the is a mix of cognitive and emotional aspects
such familiarity, quality, price and self-perception (Gázquez-Abad et al. 2016-2017).
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/amp/english/brand-loyalty.
 Brand Preference. It is the extent to which a consumer makes purchasing decisions
based on a brand name rather than the quality of a product or the price. To the study, brand
preference is the bias a customer holds toward a particular brand‖ (Chang & Liu, 2009)

https://financial-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com

Buying Behavior. It is the decision processes and acts of people involved in buying
and using products. Need to understand: why consumers make the purchases that they make.
To the study, it is the outcome of consumers need for a specific product which becomes strong
enough to invest resources such as time and money to buy the product (Tauber, 1972).
https://www1.udel.edu/alex/chapt6.html

Food Hygiene-Products. It is the conditions or practices in the handling, preparation,

and storage of food that minimize food-borne infection. To the study, as per (Kaswengi &
Diallo, 2015), habits and the fit between their preferred brands and their personal
characteristics. Although the increased health conscious and awareness led to changes in the
buying behaviour, they did not affect the brand choices and preferences of most of the
interviewees. https://www.lexico.com/definition/food_hygiene

Price. It is the sum or amount of money or its equivalent for which anything is bought,
sold, or offered for sale. To the study, price might be related to self-perception and the amount
of money the consumer is willing to invest in themselves on an emotional and qualitative level
(Kaswengi & Diallo, 2015). https://www.dictionary.com/browse/price

Quality. It is the standard of something as measured against other things of a similar

kind; the degree of excellence of something. To the study, quality was a moderator which
changed during the pandemic affecting changes in brand preference. (Degeratu, Rangaswamy,
& Wu, 2000; Mueller & Szolnoki, 2010). https://www.lexico.com/definition/quality

Risk. It is the exposure to the chance of injury or loss; a hazard or dangerous chance.
To the study, risk-averse consumers tend to not try or buy new products; they feel threatened
by the fact that they are uncertain about the performance of these products (Matzler et al.
2008). https://www.dictionary.com/browse/risk