Consumer ethnocentrism and purchase intention: A multidimensional analysis of domestic product preference in Sri Lanka

Globalization has intensified competition between domestic and foreign products in emerging markets, making consumer ethnocentrism a critical factor influencing purchase decisions. This study examines the impact of five dimensions of ethnocentrism on Sri Lankan consumers' intention to purchase locally manufactured products: pro-sociality, cognition, insecurity, reflexiveness, and habituation. Utilizing the Consumer Ethnocentrism Extended Scale, a quantitative survey was conducted with 320 respondents across urban and semi-urban regions of Sri Lanka. Data was analyzed using multiple regression analysis to test the hypothesized relationships between ethnocentric dimensions and purchase intention. The findings reveal that ethnocentric pro-sociality, insecurity, reflexiveness, and habituation significantly and positively influence purchase intention toward domestic products, with habituation emerging as the strongest predictor. However, ethnocentric cognition did not demonstrate a significant effect, suggesting that emotional, behavioral, and socially driven motivations outweigh purely rational evaluations in the Sri Lankan context. These results validate the multidimensional nature of consumer ethnocentrism and highlight that moral duty, economic protection concerns, reflective decision-making, and habitual loyalty are key psychological mechanisms driving domestic product preference. The study offers theoretical contributions by extending scale validation to an emerging market and provides practical implications for marketers and policymakers seeking to leverage ethnocentric tendencies through patriotic appeals, cultural messaging, and campaigns emphasizing national economic development and social responsibility.