Assessment of the Purchase Preferences of Nigerian Consumers Regarding Domestic and Foreign Products Sold in Community Pharmacies: A Case Study of Lagos State, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Currently, consumers worldwide are exposed to and have more opportunities to choose from an extensive variety of foreign and domestic products. Objective: This study examined the purchase behaviours of consumers in Lagos State regarding locally manufactured and foreign medicines and other products sold in community pharmacies. Methods: A cross-sectional study among clients of community pharmacies in Lagos State was deployed. Data were collected using semi-structured questionnaires containing both open-ended and closed-ended questions, in electronic Google Forms®, and analysed using Microsoft Excel® Results: Majority of the consumers (60.1%) prefer to purchase foreign products stocked in a community pharmacy, 27.4% domestic products, while 12.1 -13.2% were neutral. More consumers prefer to purchase locally manufactured herbal products (local vs foreign) (56.9 vs 46.6%) and beverages (56.4 vs 55.9%). More consumers prefer to purchase foreign medicines (foreign vs local) (68.6 vs 58.2%), other medical products (50.4 vs 32.5%), toiletries (49.7 vs 46.7%), and cosmetics (55.4 vs 43.9%). In decreasing order of significance, cost, availability, and prescription, determined their preference for local products; while quality, prescription, and experience with the product determined their preference for foreign products. However, some consumers purchase local products due to patriotism (18.2%) and ethnocentrism (10.8%). Conclusion: Nigerian consumers prefer foreign medicines, cosmetics, and toiletries to locally manufactured ones as they believe that they are of superior quality, and they are willing to pay a higher price for them. There is need to properly regulate, strengthen, and support local industries to ensure manufacture of good quality products and boost the economy.