Consumer Education and Purchasing Behaviour Among Market Women in Port Harcourt Metropolis

This study examines the relationship between consumer education and purchasing behaviour among market women in Port Harcourt Metropolis, Rivers State, South South Nigeria. Consumer education equips individuals with the knowledge to make informed buying decisions, yet its reach among informal traders remains limited. Using a descriptive survey design, the study targets 260 market women drawn from three major markets in Port Harcourt through purposive and random sampling. A structured questionnaire was used as the primary data collection instrument. Objectives include determining market women's level of consumer education, examining their purchasing decision-making processes, and assessing the influence of consumer knowledge on spending patterns and savings behaviour. Recent scholarly work situates consumer literacy within broader financial inclusion frameworks, recognising its importance for economic empowerment of women in the informal sector. Data were analysed using frequency distribution tables, mean scores, and Pearson correlation. The study is framed by the Consumer Socialisation Theory, which explains how individuals acquire consumption-related knowledge through social interactions and formal education. Findings are anticipated to indicate a positive but weak correlation between consumer education exposure and rational purchasing behaviour. Recommendations target the Rivers State Consumer Protection Council and Home Economics educators to design community-based consumer literacy programmes. Keywords: consumer education, purchasing behaviour, market women, Port Harcourt, informal sector.