E-Commerce, Institutional Voids, and Socio-Cultural Factors in Online Groceries Shopping

Exploring the Interrelationships in an African Context

Bibliographic Data

ID21737438
AuthorsOludayo E Adekunle (University of Sunderland), Ifeanyi Onyemere (University of Sunderland), Shajara Ul‐Durar (0000-0001-6574-026X, University of Sunderland), Shajara Ul-Durar (University of Sunderland), Obinna Alo (0000-0002-2860-6544, University of Sunderland, corresponding author)
Year2026
Pages1-32
Publication date2026-02-27
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of African Business (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1522-8916 • E-ISSN: 1522-9076
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/15228916.2026.2637254
OpenAlexW7133494139
LanguageEN
References cited117

This study explores how socio-cultural complexities and institutional barriers affect the shopping experience of online groceries shoppers in Africa. Adopting a qualitative method with an interpretivist philosophy, 16 in-depth semi structured interviews were conducted with online groceries shoppers in Lagos, Nigeria. Findings reveal that while participants adopt online shopping due to convenience, product variety, and AI-powered decision-support devices, their engagement is constrained by digital mistrust, data insecurity, infrastructural limitations, and weak regulatory enforcement system. The theoretical contributions relate to the e-commerce and technology acceptance literature, and the managerial implications include insights for platform designers, retailers, and policymakers to enhance trust and digital inclusion. This knowledge will help to enhance the emerging markets’ digital retail landscape. Our paper also extends the current theorizing around institutional theory

Enforcement · Institutional theory · Qualitative property · Qualitative research · Consumer Retail Behavior Studies · COVID-19 Pandemic Impacts · Technology Adoption and User Behaviour

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