The paper summarises the factors influencing consumer purchasing decisions and the changes the factors have undergone over the last 15 years. The research aimed to determine what changes have occurred in the intensity of the traditional factors influencing consumers’ purchasing decisions over the past 15 years and to identify the new factors currently shaping consumers’ purchasing decisions. The research was carried out by means of a questionnaire survey conducted in the Czech Republic (N = 686). The survey results were subjected to descriptive statistics combined with multivariate exploratory factor analysis. The paper presents the results of an empirical analysis which showed that between 2007 and 2022, there were no significant changes in consumers’ perceived importance of traditional factors influencing their purchasing decisions in different categories of consumption. The research has confirmed that consumers perceived quality, price and necessity as the most important factors across the different categories, while advertising was still the least important. However, the perceived importance of advertising has increased slightly in some shopping categories, such as Clothing and Footwear and Transport, along with the perceived importance of discounts. However, new factors have emerged to influence consumers before making a purchase decision. The Clothing and Footwear category was selected for detailed factor analysis because consumers assigned more importance to the emerging factors here than other purchase categories. By applying factor analysis, the authors identified five determinants of consumer decision-making in purchasing Clothing and footwear category, including new and traditional factors. The first determinant was the current trends in the market. The second determinant was recommendations, including recommendations from family, friends and professionals, together with the chance to try something new. The third purchase determinant was experience based on the consumer’s previous experience, which also shaped the subsequently preferred parameters and product quality. The fourth determinant was pricing. The final determinant of the purchase decision was sustainability in both consumption and purchase. The research results are useful for market players, especially in the innovation of customer communication and company marketing management.

Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, the scientific journal of the Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic

The point of purchase is considered to be one of the few communication channels that is not yet saturated, and it has a relatively large potential for the future. A pleasant smell is also part of the shopping atmosphere. How smell affects customer behaviour and purchasing decisions is addressed by a relatively young scientific field, one of the existing kinds of sensory marketing—aroma marketing, otherwise called aromachology. Smell has mainly a subconscious influence; therefore, its examination is appropriate to be carried out using consumer neuroscience tools. This paper examined the perception of the shopping atmosphere in Slovak grocery shops and comprehensive interdisciplinary research on the impact of selected aromatic compounds on the cognitive and affective processes of the consumer, as well as the evaluation of the effectiveness of their implementation in food retail establishments. At the end of the paper, we recommend the possibilities of effective selection and the implementation of aromatisation of different premises, by which the retailer can achieve not only a more positive perception of the shopping atmosphere, but also an increase in retail turnover in individual sales sections.

Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues is a peer-reviewed journal which publishes original research papers and case studies

Purpose: This study aims to achieve a transition from prevailing consumerist behaviour towards responsible consumption, as outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations, it is crucial to understand the determinants of consumer behaviour in terms of sustainability. Social marketing can harness these determinants to encourage behavioural change towards more responsible consumption patterns. By constructing a model grounded in the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), this study provides a framework for steering consumer behaviour in a more sustainable direction, specifically within the food sector, where the high frequency of purchase and short consumption cycles offer significant opportunities for impactful behavioural shifts. Design/methodology/approach: By applying the TPB framework, this study aims to construct a model of sustainable consumer behaviour that identifies key behavioural determinants and their interrelations. Initially, the original TPB model is validated using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling, confirming its relevance in the context of sustainable behaviour. The model is subsequently extended by incorporating additional determinants, thereby increasing its explanatory power. Findings: The validation of the original TPB-based model reveals that subjective norms, which reflect the influence of societal expectations, represent the most significant predictor of sustainable consumer behaviour. The inclusion of two further determinants – education and lifestyle – enhances the model’s predictive capacity. Among these, the strongest direct association is found between education and lifestyle, with education exerting an indirect effect on actual consumer behaviour. These newly integrated variables complement – the original TPB model and offer valuable insights into consumer decision-making processes. They also provide practical entry points for social marketing interventions designed to promote behavioural change towards sustainable and responsible consumption. Research limitations/implications: While the geographical scope of the dataset (focusing on consumers in the Czech Republic) represents a limitation, it also points to a promising direction for future research. Further, as is typical of TBP methodologies, the results are based on data provided by the respondents themselves. Future research could benefit from incorporating objective longitudinal data, which would allow for further validation of these psychological constructs. Practical implications: To foster socially accepted sustainable consumer behaviour, individuals should be encouraged to make gradual changes in their habits. This transformation can be facilitated through targeted consumer education encouraging the adoption of sustainable practices, such as waste reduction and healthier lifestyle choices. The extended TPB-based model can serve as a practical tool for social marketers, uncovering behavioural dimensions that can be strategically addressed to stimulate positive change. Nevertheless, education alone is insufficient to ensure sustainable consumption. It must lead to a transformation in lifestyle, which, when combined with social influence, results in observable changes in consumer behaviour. Social implications: The identified model highlights the significant influence of subjective norms in shaping real behaviour. This determinant, which represents perceived social pressure, emerges as the strongest predictor of real sustainable behaviour in both the original and extended models. These findings underscore the powerful role of social influence in shaping individual consumer choices. Originality/value: This paper presents a unique implementation of additional determinants of actual sustainable consumer behaviour within the TPB framework: specifically education and lifestyle. The findings demonstrate the indirect effect of Education on Real behaviour, mediated through the direct influence of lifestyle. In doing so, the study identifies key mechanisms by which consumers can be guided towards adopting more sustainable consumption practices.