Product innovation, purchase behavior, satisfaction and brand loyalty in carbonated beverage consumption: A qualitative study of Wa Municipal, Ghana

Abstract

Innovation is widely seen as a driver of sales growth, but little is known about how consumers in emerging markets respond to innovation in everyday products such as carbonated beverages. This study explores how product innovation influences consumer purchase behavior, satisfaction and brand loyalty in Wa Municipal, Ghana. Using a constructivist philosophy and a phenomenological design, data were collected through in depth semi structured interviews with 19 consumers recruited through convenience and snowball sampling, with saturation reached at about 15 interviews. The findings show that innovation, such as new flavors, healthier formulations and eco friendly packaging, is a key factor in purchase decisions, and that consumers prefer brands whose innovations match their health and environmental concerns. Innovation also raises satisfaction by delivering distinctive and improved experiences, and it reinforces loyalty to brands that keep meeting changing needs. Price and brand reputation remain influential, but innovation adds perceived value and a competitive advantage. The study contributes consumer level qualitative evidence from a secondary city in an emerging market and extends the literature on innovation and business performance. Beverage firms are advised to invest in continuous product innovation, while policymakers may support sustainable innovation and market entry for small firms. Because the sample is small and purposive, the findings are context specific and not statistically generalizable.