Adoption of online grocery shopping by urban consumers in South Africa

Abstract

The adoption of online grocery shopping among urban consumers in South Africa remains limited, despite the global trend toward e-commerce. This study addresses the research problem which highlights the slow uptake of online grocery shopping, by investigating the factors that influence urban consumer behavioural intention through the lens of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2) framework. Key constructs such as performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation, price value, and habit were analysed for their impact on behavioural intention and actual usage behaviour. Additionally, age, gender and experience were included as moderators in this study. Using a quantitative research methodology, a structured survey was distributed to 199 urban consumers in South Africa, of which the sample consisted of both users and non-users of online grocery platforms. Data was analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM) to evaluate the relationships between the UTAUT2 constructs and consumer behaviour. The average research results for all respondents indicate that while constructs like performance expectancy and habit positively influence urban consumer behavioural intention, factors such as social influence, facilitating conditions, price value, and hedonic motivation are more significant for non-users. Additionally, behavioural intention did not significantly predict actual usage behaviour across all groups. Thus, the study concludes that it provides a valuable starting point for understanding the factors that influence urban consumer behavioural intention to use online grocery shopping in South Africa. It also highlights that while UTAUT2 iii provides valuable insights, its constructs require contextual adaptation to address South Africa’s unique challenges. The study also recommends targeted strategies and actionable solutions for retailers and platforms to improve and accelerate online grocery adoption.