INFLUENCE OF PROTECTION OF HOST COMMUNITIES' PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT AND LONG TERM CONSUMER LOYALTY OF FOOD AND BEVERAGE FIRMS IN SOUTH EAST NIGERIA

Abstract

The study evaluated the protection of the host communities' physical environment and long term consumer loyalty of food and beverage firms in South East Nigeria. The specific objectives include to; determine the relationship between water pollution control in host communities and cost of products and examine the relationship between road maintenance and cost of transportation of food and beverage firms in South East Nigeria. The population of the study was 3884 staff. Stratified random sampling method was adopted. A sample size of 350 was determined using Freund and William's formula. A total of 316 staff returned the questionnaire and accurately filled them. That gave 94 percent response rate. The validity of the instrument was tested using content analysis and the result was good. The reliability of the instrument was tested using the Pearson correlation coefficient (r). It gave a reliability co-efficient of 0.75 which was also good.  Data were analyzed using mean score and standard deviation. A five point Likert Scale was adopted. The hypotheses were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient (r) statistics tool. The findings indicated that there was significant positive relationship between water pollution control in host communities and cost of products (r=.397 < 0.975, p<.05) and that there was significant positive relationship between road maintenance and cost of transportation of food and beverage firms in South East Nigeria (r= .387 < 0.907, p<.05). The study concluded that there was significant positive relationship between protection of the host communities' physical environment and long term consumer loyalty of food and beverage firms in South East Nigeria. It was therefore recommended among others that the food and beverage firms in the South East Nigeria should continue to intensify the promotion of the environmental policy through adequate disposal of their wastes, and avoid channeling their waste products into the community’s rivers or streams. This policy will go a long way to spur consumer loyalty in the host communities.