10th U6+ Consortium of African Universities International Conference

The Kenyan retail supermarket sector has experienced considerable turbulence, with once-dominant chains collapsing despite initial rapid expansion. This has necessitated investigation into alternative strategies that could enhance supermarket performance. This study specifically examined the effect of green procurement on the performance of registered supermarkets in Kenya. Grounded in Stakeholder theory, the study adopted descriptive and correlational research designs guided by a pragmatism research philosophy. The study focused on 31 supermarkets registered with the Retail Trade Association of Kenya, targeting 155 executive managers including supply chain, finance, marketing, operations, and quality assurance managers. A census approach was used, and data were collected through structured questionnaires and interview guides. Instrument reliability was confirmed using Cronbach's alpha, while validity was established through content and construct validity procedures. Quantitative data analysis employed descriptive statistics (percentages, frequencies, means, standard deviations) and inferential statistics including Pearson correlation and simple linear regression. Thematic analysis was applied to interview data. Simple linear regression results demonstrated that green procurement had a positive and significant effect on the performance of registered supermarkets in Kenya (β = 0.571, p = 0.000). The findings indicate that green procurement practices including purchasing environmentally friendly products, selecting suppliers based on environmental criteria, sourcing from certified green suppliers, and avoiding hazardous materials substantially enhance supermarket performance through improved brand reputation, regulatory compliance, customer satisfaction, and long-term cost savings. The study concludes that green procurement is a powerful strategic tool that registered supermarkets should integrate into their purchasing policies to achieve competitive advantage and sustainable performance.