Sales Promotion Techniques and Impulse Buying Behaviour in Retail Supermarkets in Enugu State

This study examines the relationship between sales promotion techniques and impulse buying behaviour among shoppers in retail supermarkets in Enugu State, South East Nigeria. The retail landscape in Enugu has grown considerably with the establishment of modern supermarkets, creating new opportunities and research contexts for studying in-store consumer behaviour. Despite the prevalence of promotional activities such as discounts, buy-one-get-one offers, and loyalty card programmes, empirical evidence linking these to impulse purchases in Nigerian supermarket settings remains sparse. The study employs a descriptive survey design, targeting 290 shoppers across four leading supermarkets in Enugu metropolis. A self-administered questionnaire captures data on exposure to promotions and impulse purchase tendencies. Regression analysis and correlation statistics are the principal analytical tools. The study also investigates whether hedonic shopping motivation moderates the effect of promotions on impulse buying. Preliminary evidence suggests that price discounts and free sample distributions exert the strongest impulse-inducing effects. The research further identifies that shoppers with high hedonic motivation are significantly more susceptible to promotional stimuli than those driven by utilitarian shopping goals. Findings are relevant to supermarket managers, consumer goods companies, and trade marketing teams operating in South East Nigeria. This study addresses a localised research gap and enriches the broader literature on retail marketing and consumer behaviour in emerging market contexts. Keywords: sales promotion, impulse buying, supermarket, Enugu, consumer behaviour