Abstract:
This study explores how behavioural psychology influences impulse buying
behaviour at grocery stores. Studying impulse purchases in Northern Sri Lanka is
important due to unique cultural, economic, and retail-specific factors that remain
underexplored. This study aims to identify psychological triggers influencing impulse
buying behaviour in mini-marts in Northern Sri Lanka. It focuses on university
students who shop at mini-marts in Northern Sri Lanka. A qualitative approach was
used, collecting data through three interviews with a grocery store owner and two
employees. The study also included four focus group discussions, including two with
undergraduate students, one with local community members and one with loyal
regional customers. Purposive sampling was used to ensure participants had relevant
experience and insight into the business context. The collected data were thematically
analysed to identify recurring patterns and psychological triggers. The analysis
involved familiarisation with the data through repeated reading, generating initial
codes, searching for themes, reviewing themes for coherence, defining and naming
themes, and finally producing the report. The findings show three main psychological
triggers, such as convenience and familiarity with the store, trust and friendly
relationships with employees and the visual appeal of well-organised products and
attractive displays. These emotional and environmental cues strongly influence
impulsive buying, especially among young people. In practice, these findings offer
ideas for grocery store owners to improve store layout, design effective promotions,
and strengthen customer relationships to boost loyalty and sales. Socially, the
research enhances understanding of student buying behaviour and encourages more
mindful, need-based shopping. Although limited to mini-marts and a short study
period, future research could explore rural areas and include long-term behavioural
monitoring. This study advances the field by applying behavioural psychology to
grocery retailing in Northern Sri Lanka, addressing a clear gap on impulse buying.
