| Summary: | With nearly 40 million foreign tourists per year, Thailand consumes an average of 57.5 gallons of water per capita per year, which makes Thailand the second largest per-person consumer of bottled water in the world. As the global average is only 13.2 gallons per person per year, both tourists and residents have an insatiable thirst for bottled water. Therefore, the authors undertook a study to investigate the factors that influence bottled water consumer satisfaction (CS). Furthermore, an examination of the interrelationships between the variables corporate social responsibility (CSR), brand trust (BT), and brand image (BI) and their effect on CS were also analysed by use of LISREL 9.1 software. Results from the 489 consumer sample group obtained from across five major areas of Thailand, determined that all the model’s variables had a positive effect on CS as there was a combined 78% variance of influence on CS. Ranked in importance, factors influencing CS were CSR (TE=0.89), BT (TE=0.68), and BI (TE=0.29), respectively. Furthermore, from the consumers’ questionnaire concerning their preference for a bottled water brand (Singha, Crystal, Nestlé, Namthip, and Pepsi’s Aquafina), 31.29% indicated a preference for Singha. Additionally, from the results of the analysis on CSR, the authors concluded that was a heightened awareness amongst consumers and travellers about the environment and plastic bottle waste. It was suggested by the authors that bottled water companies need to develop CSR campaigns that are focused on plastic waste reduction and cleanup activities. Additionally, they need to take their efforts ‘to the people’, and tell each consumer why and how they are contributing to not only Thailand’s environmental well-being but the world as well.
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