Impact of Consumer Ethnocentrism on Purchase Intention for Imported Goods of University Students of Sri Lanka: The Role of Brand Sensitivity and Product Cues

This paper observes the impact of Consumer Ethnocentrism on the Purchase Intention for imported products among Sri Lankan university students, with brand sensitivity as a mediator and product cues as a moderator. The Theory of Reasoned Action is used as the theoretical framework of the study. Although previous studies have investigated these constructs, only limited research has explored their combined effects in Sri Lanka mainly among young consumers exposed globally and influenced by nationalist sentiments. This study addresses this gap by analyzing 200 responses which is gathered through an online survey and analyzed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The results show that consumer ethnocentrism does not have a direct impact on purchase intention, but the relationship is mediated by Brand Sensitivity and moderated by Product Cues. These findings indicate that ethnocentric attitudes alone might not predict the purchasing patterns of globally connected youth. In practice, the paper suggests that marketers should intensify brand association and develop product cues, whereas policymakers should tighten the local branding policies to strike a balance between national and global consumer preferences.