Understanding factors affecting rice purchasing decisions in Indonesia: Does rice brand matter?

The rice sector is crucial to the Indonesian national economy. One of the staples in Indonesian society is rice. Many factors influence consumers' purchase decisions. Rice brands can influence the psychological condition of the community, which raises the assumption that well-known brands of rice are in good condition and suitable for the community's needs. This study aims to determine factors affecting rice purchasing decisions in Indonesia, particularly elaborating on one of the factors, which is the rice brand in the pandemic conditions. An online questionnaire was completed by 1,047 respondents who were rice consumers in Indonesia, and logistic regression was used to analyze the data. The results show that factors that influence rice purchasing decisions in Indonesia are age, household income, homogeneity of rice grains, and knowledge about imported rice. In contrast, the price of rice, rice brands, number of family members, and gender do not affect consumers' rice purchase decisions. The rice brand does not affect rice purchasing decisions because, during a pandemic, economic factors such as job loss or financial strain may also influence purchasing decisions, leading consumers to prioritize cost-effective options rather than specific brands. This research helps rice producers or traders understand customers' preferences and provides knowledge that is useful for meeting customer demand.