The influence mechanism of environmental anxiety on pro‐environmental behaviour: The role of self‐discrepancy

Environmental anxiety (EA) caused by environmental pollution has prompted consumers to change their behaviour towards greener, lower‐carbon and environmentally friendly. However, its boundary conditions and internal mechanisms are still unclear. With two experiments based on attentional control theory and self‐discrepancy theory, this study aimed to explore the influence mechanism of EA on PEB. In Experiment 1, it was found that environmental anxiety can directly and significantly affect Pro‐environmental behaviour intention (PEBI). In Experiment 2, it was found that at high levels of self‐discrepancy, EA can directly and significantly affect compensatory PEBI, and guilt can play a significant mediating role in the effect of EA on compensatory PEBI. However, EA does not significantly affect promotional PEBI. At low levels of self‐discrepancy, EA can directly and significantly affect promotional PEBI but cannot affect compensatory PEBI. Therefore, we concluded that the same PEB could have different psychological mechanisms in different contexts.     

Explaining consumers’ willingness to be environmentally friendly

Theoretical and empirical evidence from the environmental psychology and related literatures are used to develop a model for explaining consumers’ willingness to perform environmentally friendly behaviour. Environmental concern and perceived psychological consequences of environmentally friendly behaviour are posited as key determinants of willingness. Hypothesized antecedents of these are also included in the model, which is tested using structural equation modelling on data from a sample of 232 consumers collected in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. The results indicate that the key determinant of willingness is perceived psychological consequences, which in turn is significantly determined by past behaviour. A hypothesized effect of environmental concern on willingness is not significant, although concern is itself significantly determined by perceived psychological consequences. Other positive determinants of concern are environmental knowledge and perceived seriousness of threats to the global environment. Substantive and methodological implications of the findings are outlined and discussed.     

Purchasing environmentally sustainable apparel: The attitudes and intentions of female Kuwaiti consumers

The purpose of this study is to examine relationships among knowledge, environmental concern, attitudes about environmentally sustainable apparel (ESA) and ESA purchasing behaviours of Kuwaiti women. This was accomplished by surveying 236 participants using four preexisting scales, measuring knowledge about the impact of manufacturing apparel and textile products on the environment, levels of concern about environmental degradation, feelings about clothing that is environmentally sustainable and ESA purchase intentions. Data analysis determined several findings. First, female Kuwaiti nationals showed a low level of knowledge about the environmental impacts of the apparel and textile industry. The participants also held neutral attitudes of environmental concern and neutral attitudes towards ESA. Finally, despite their knowledge and attitudes, the participants did have positive intentions to purchase ESA in the future. To produce, market and sell ESA effectively in Kuwait, the conclusions from this study are important for manufacturers and retailers of ESA products. Kuwait provides a large market for apparel goods and this study is a contribution to a better understanding of consumers and ESA in that market.     

Eco depletion: The impact of hunger on prosociality by means of environmentally friendly attitudes and behavior

The present research investigated the impact of hunger on prosociality in a consumer choice context by means of environmentally friendly attitudes and behavior. Two eye-tracking studies were conducted with hunger measured (Study 1) and manipulated (Study 2). The data were analyzed through bivariate correlations, Pearson's chi-square tests, and analyses of variance (ANOVAs). Our findings, based on cross-sectional and experimental evidence from field and lab settings, revealed that hungry consumers express more prosocial attitudes than their satiated counterparts in terms of general environmental concerns and importance ratings of buying eco-labeled products. However, we found no significant difference between hungry and satiated consumers regarding choice likelihood of eco-labeled products or visual attention towards prosocial (organic and sustainable) food options. Implications for retailers and organizations trying to encourage environmentally friendly behavior are discussed.     

Factors affecting consumers’ purchase intention of eco‐friendly food in China: The evidence from respondents in Beijing

The purpose aims to examine the key factors influencing Chinese consumer’s purchasing behaviour of eco‐friendly food in China giving its context as an emerging economy and its rapidly rising importance in the world eco‐friendly food market. This paper adopts and extends the Responsible Environmental Behaviour (REB) theory by empirically testing key psychosocial factors influencing the purchase intention of eco‐friendly food and the moderating effects of consumers’ demographic characteristics on the relationship between the key psychosocial factors and the purchase intention. A number of hypotheses are proposed. A questionnaire was designed and distributed via online survey in Beijing, China. A total of 239 valid responses were received. The empirical data were used to test the research hypotheses using the hierarchical multiple regression analysis. The research finds that the personality factors in the REB model (i.e., pro‐environmental attitudes, the internal locus of control and personal responsibly) have significant positive effects on the consumers’ eco‐friendly food purchase intention. Such effect is stable across consumers with different income levels. On the other hand, the knowledge–skill factors in the REB model do not have significant effect on the purchase intention of consumers. This study contributes to a better understanding of factors affecting eco‐friendly food consumption intention in China and the behavioural characteristics of consumers in developing countries. Moreover, the findings also shed light on the applicability of the REB theory in emerging economies and a specific industrial context.     

The role of cultural values in green purchasing intention: Empirical evidence from Chinese consumers

Environmental problems, especially in the case of water and air pollution, are the harmful result of the overconsumption of fossil fuels as well as various forms of industrial sewage water discharge. Recently, growing environmentally friendly purchasing behaviour of consumers has become regarded as an effective method for alleviating such environmental problems. Due to concerns regarding the natural environment, consumers have increasingly begun to exhibit favourable attitudes towards environmentally friendly products, and as a result, are more likely to purchase “green” products. However, green purchasing behaviour of consumers varies across different nations and cultures. This study aims to reveal how Chinese cultural values (specifically, the Doctrine of the Mean) influence green purchasing intention of Chinese consumers. As the lifestyles of consumers will be deeply affected by their cultural values, this study examines the mediating effects of the four dimensions of Chinese lifestyle have on consumers. At the same time, environmental knowledge is considered as a moderating variable in order to investigate the relationship between the Doctrine of the Mean and green purchasing intention. The study’s data were collected from Chinese consumers. Empirical results reveal that such Chinese cultural values are positively associated with green purchasing intention, and that three dimensions of consumer lifestyle (namely leadership, cost consciousness and development consciousness), are all found to play mediating roles in the relationship between the Doctrine of the Mean and green purchasing intention in Chinese consumers. The moderating effects of environmental knowledge are exhibited in the influence of leadership as well as development consciousness on green purchasing intention. The study’s findings have theoretical implications for understanding green purchasing intention as well as behaviour of Chinese consumers further. The study’s findings also present practical implications for how to promote green purchasing intention in Chinese consumers better.     

Environmentally Friendly Consumers:

While the number of environmentally friendly consumers continues to rise, government support for public and nonprofit services continues to decline. Therefore, it is important for marketers of nonprofit and public sector environmental programs to become more strategic with their efforts and expenditures. The purpose of this study was to explore the potential association between environmental consciousness and environmentally friendly behavior. The empirical results support the importance of educational programs and demonstrates that higher levels of environmental consciousness are associated with higher levels of participation in environmental protection activities. In addition, the research indicates that the environmentally friendly tend to be homogeneous, donate to more than one environmental cause, and participate in both individual activities and environmental protection programs. The implications of the research findings are discussed and some recommendations for increasing participation in environmental activities and programs are presented.     

With the best of intentions: a large sample test of the intention‐behaviour gap in pro‐environmental consumer behaviour

Many consumers intend to make pro‐environmental purchases; however, this is not always what occurs. A gap exists between consumer intentions to purchase environmentally friendly products and their actual purchase behaviour. The current study uses a large sample of Australian consumers (N = 772) to test Carrington, Neville and Whitwell's (2010) conceptual model of the intention‐behaviour gap. Responses showed that implementation intentions mediated the relationship between intention and pro‐environmental consumer behaviour. Behavioural control and environmental involvement were found to moderate the relationship between implementation intentions and behaviour. Shopping context was found to moderate the relationship between intention and implementation intentions. The findings have theoretical implications for furthering understanding of pro‐environmental consumer behaviour, and practical implications regarding how to generate socially beneficial behaviours.     

Consumer understanding,perceptions and behaviours with regard to environmentally friendly packaging in a developing nation

There has been very little research conducted into sustainable consumption patterns, knowledge and attitudes in relation to environmentally friendly packaging in South Africa. Market research that has been conducted in relation to sustainable consumption has largely been based on overseas studies and is therefore limited in that its reflection of information is from a first world country perspective. Environmental knowledge has been found to impact environmentally friendly behaviour both directly and indirectly. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected to investigate South African respondents' understanding (knowledge) and perceptions of environmentally friendly packaging as well as the extent to which they exhibited green behaviour with regard to environmentally friendly packaging activities such as reusing and recycling. The data gathered for this study were collected by means of a questionnaire distributed to respondents using snowball sampling through Facebook networks. The snowball sample required respondents to answer the questionnaire and pass it on to other Facebook users. The unique benefit of this study is that it is conducted in a developing nation where issues such as sustainable consumption are new and evolving. There is limited promotion or implementation of environmentally responsible practices by authorities or industry. South African consumers in this study were found to exhibit limited knowledge of what environmentally friendly packaging is, how to differentiate it from normal packaging, as well as its benefits. However, actions are even less evident with regard to environmentally friendly packaging. Recommendations of how to improve knowledge as well as facilitate purchase of environmentally friendly packaging are provided.     

Consumers’ evaluations of the efficiency of actions to improve environmental quality: A comparative study between Brazil and China

There is a gap in our knowledge about environmentally conscious consumers in industrialized economies and the desire to achieve sustainable economies. Given that most aspects of consumer behaviour are culture bound, this paper contributes by comparing consumers’ evaluations of the efficiency of actions to improve environmental quality in two of the most promising industrializing consumer societies: Brazil and China. The proposed conceptual framework includes environmental concerns, perceived consumer effectiveness, green attitudes, green behaviours and external motivators as constructs to explain the perception of efficient environmental support. Field research was conducted in Brazil with 1,149 respondents, and in China with 632 respondents to test the model. The results suggested that the belief that environmental quality can be improved is directly associated with consumers’ internal and external motivators. However, cultural traits drove important differences in the evaluation of the efficiency of such improvements. Specifically, Chinese people tended to rely on collective leadership to create the conditions necessary for improving environmental quality, while they remained concerned with the current status. In contrast, Brazilians accepted more personal responsibility for the results, although they face important constraints, such as the availability of products.     

Consumer Decision Making Regarding a “Green” Everyday Product

One of the techniques marketers use to convert low‐involvement products into high‐involvement ones is adding an important product feature. A case in point is the common practice of adding a “green” or environmentally friendly product feature to an everyday product, something which is often assumed to elevate consumer involvement in the choice of the product. However, there is a lack of research investigating whether adding such a “green” product attribute actually makes any difference to how consumers make choices. Does the way in which consumers make decisions about groceries change when both “green” and conventional alternatives are available? Does it make them deliberate more or do they just develop another, simple choice heuristic? Based on observation and follow‐up interviews of consumers at the milk counter in two supermarkets which stock both organic (a “green” attribute) and conventional milk, it is concluded that, rather than changing the way consumers make decisions when buying this type of product, the availability of a “green” alternative seems to make “green” consumers develop a new, simple choice heuristic that allows them to do their shopping as effortless and time‐efficient as consumers buying conventional products.     

Marketing eco-fashion: The influence of brand name and message explicitness

This study investigated the influence of two variables – brand name and message explicitness – on attitude toward advertisement and attitude toward brand, and further, explored the impact of attitude toward advertisement, attitude toward brand, and other variables on consumer purchase intention. A questionnaire with an experimental design component was administered to 343 college students. Results revealed that respondents formed positive attitudes toward apparel brand when the advertising message contained explicit information about environmentally friendly products. Attitude toward brand, subjective norm, attitude toward advertisement, eco-fashion involvement, and environmental commitment were strong predictors of intention to purchase an environmentally friendly apparel brand. Implications are that apparel marketers may build more positive attitudes toward brands by providing explicit information about environmentally friendly products in their marketing claims. This may be one way for marketers to attract college students who are interested in purchasing environmentally friendly products, but who are not fully committed to a green lifestyle. Further, marketers may be able to reach those who are less interested in purchasing environmentally friendly products by raising awareness and knowledge of the benefits associated with their products and brands, which may help to establish a sustainable market for eco-fashion.     

Factors motivating male consumers’ eco‐friendly apparel acquisition in the South African emerging market

The necessity of pro‐environmental apparel behaviour is to date a neglected concept in the local South African apparel industry. This study focuses on male consumers’ underlying motivation and intent to acquire apparel in an eco‐friendly manner. The research hypotheses and framework for this study are based on the Norm‐Activation Theory and the Theory of Planned Behaviour to clarify underlying motivational factors that contribute to pro‐environmental apparel acquisition. Pro‐environmental approaches were conceptualized as consumers’ purposive reduction of the amount of apparel acquired as well as the evaluation and selection of apparel based on pro‐environmental attributes. A quantitative, cross‐sectional survey approach was used for explanatory research purposes. Male consumers (18 years and older, n = 305) were reached by means of non‐probability, purposive sampling. Respondents completed online and paper‐based questionnaires that included adapted scale items for use in the local context. Results suggest that respondents are aware of the environmental consequences of their apparel behaviour, which then ultimately influences their behavioural intent. In contrast to studies conducted abroad, social and moral norms did not significantly influence their decisions to acquire apparel in a pro‐environmental manner. Respondents’ attitudes and self‐efficacy (i.e. a dimension of perceived behavioural control) contributed to their pro‐environmental intent. Yet, controllability (another dimension of perceived behavioural control) was not a significant predictor of intent and warrants further empirical research. The findings of this study substantiate important recommendations for the development of intervention strategies to promote pro‐environmental apparel behaviour in emerging market contexts such as South Africa.     

Green intentions under the blue flag: Exploring differences in EU consumers’ willingness to pay more for environmentally‐friendly products

Recent research on consumer social responsibility highlights the need to examine psychological drivers of environmentally‐friendly consumption choices in a global context. This article investigates consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) more for environmentally‐friendly products across 28 European Union (EU) countries, using a sample of 21,514 consumers. A multigroup structural equation modeling analysis reveals significantly different patterns and relationships, in how (a) subjective knowledge about the product's environmental impact, (b) environmental product attitudes, and (c) the perceived importance of the products’ environmental impact influence consumers’ WTP more for environmentally‐friendly products across countries. The hypothesized model predicts WTP for 20 out of 28 countries and the findings show that a “one‐size‐fits‐all” approach is inadequate in capturing the heterogeneity of EU consumers. Hosfstede's cultural dimensions of uncertainty tolerance and individualism explain differences in WTP for environmentally‐friendly products across EU countries. Business, marketing communications, and policy making implications are discussed.     

Green Marketing and the Concern over the Environment: Measuring Environmental Consciousness of Jordanian Consumers

SUMMARY

The purpose of this article is to explore the attitudes of Jordanian consumers regarding both their current environmental consciousness and their willingness to adopt environmentally friendly consumption behavior. The article is based on an empirical investigation of consumer attitudes for a sample of 303 university students drawn from Jordanian universities, using a drop-off method. The article concludes that Jordanian consumers were, generally, concerned about the environment, as they demonstrated reasonably high levels of environmental consciousness relating to various environmental issues. However, this pro-environmental attitude was not sufficient to turn good intentions into actual buying actions, possibly due to several factors, such as loyalty to traditional products and weak credibility of “green” claims. The article stresses the need to link consumers' good intentions to actual buying behavior through a green marketing strategy, which focuses on the unique characteristics of green products and how they impact the environment, within the cultural context of the Jordanian consumer. Over time, we hope that these efforts can lead to a culture of green consumerism within a framework of environmental responsibility.     

Corporate social and environmental responsibility in services: Will consumers pay for it?

Two studies investigate consumer awareness of and response toward socially and environmentally responsible practices in the hospitality industry. Results suggest that consumers exhibit more positive response toward establishments exhibiting higher levels of social responsibility, although many are uninformed of the extent to which the organizations they patronize engage in such practices. Most consumers are willing to incur a modest price increase while patronizing an organization that behaves in an environmentally and socially responsible fashion, but that willingness declines dramatically as the price premium escalates. Consumers with high involvement in and positive attitudes toward corporate social responsibility practices are most willing to pay a premium.     

Environmental Respect: Ethics or Simply Business? A Study in the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Context

In recent years there have been ever-growing concerns regarding environmental decline, causing some companies to focus on the implementation of environmentally friendly supply, production and distribution systems. Such concern may stem either from the set of beliefs and values of the company’s management or from certain pressure exerted by the market – consumers and institutions – in the belief that an environmentally respectful management policy will contribute to the transmission of a positive image of the company and its products. Sometimes, however, ethics and market rules are not enough to deal with this situation and specific laws must be considered. This is the case when companies base their activity on the ‹ethics of self-interest’ concentrating their efforts on projecting an adequate image – e.g. environmental respect – rather than fundamentally behaving in environmentally respectful ways. This article, taking as reference the SME context, discusses the reasons for implementing environmentally friendly systems. Both ethics and business seem to be relevant and, therefore, a certain balance between market and interventionism seems to be necessary.     

Do environmental attitudes and food technology neophobia affect perceptions of the benefits of nanotechnology?

In recent years, a significant amount of research has focussed on the analysis of consumers' aversion to new technologies in food production and processing. At the same time, research has shown that environmental attitudes may be related to purchasing behaviour of consumers. This paper presents the result of an investigation into Canadian attitudes towards nanotechnology, in general, and in applications in the food industry. The relationship between the food technology neophobia scale, environmental attitudes and nanotechnology is examined. The results suggest that food technology neophobia is significant in explaining attitudes towards nanotechnology, in general, and for food packaging and foods. Environmental attitudes are important in explaining respondents' attitudes towards nanotechnology in general but not in explaining attitudes towards nanotechnology in food packaging or food applications. Survey respondents' views of the role of science and technology in society (makes society worse or better off) are a more important determinant of attitudes towards nanotechnology than whether they had heard of nanotechnology prior to the survey.     

Determinants of environmentally responsible behaviours for greenhouse gas reduction

Canadian household consumption and driving behaviours are responsible for a significant portion of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions produced across Canada. This paper examines and characterizes two sets of consumer behaviours, indoor GHG reduction behaviours and automobile GHG emissions, using data from a 2006 telephone survey of a representative random sample of 1002 Canadian households with cars. Two statistical models are used to analyse the impact of four groups of variables (environmental attitudes, policy opinions, automobile‐related indices and socio‐demographics) on GHG reduction at the household level. Results were obtained using ordered probit and Ordinary Least Squares regressions. Indoor GHG reduction behaviours were not correlated with automobile GHG emissions. Dominant factors increasing consumer GHG reduction behaviours both indoors and on the road were sense of personal responsibility and previous environmental activism. Canadians who least actively participate in GHG reduction activities were more likely to be living in the Prairie provinces and to be male.     

Translating Environmental Ideologies into Action: The Amplifying Role of Commitment to Beliefs

Consumers do not always follow their ideological beliefs about the need to engage in environmentally friendly (EF) consumption. We propose that Commitment to Beliefs (CTB)—the general tendency to follow one’s value-based beliefs—can help identify who is most likely to follow their environmental ideologies. We predicted that CTB would amplify the effect of beliefs prescribing environmental stewardship (e.g., new ecological paradigm), or neglect (e.g., economic system-justification), on corresponding intentions, behavior, and purchasing decisions. In two studies, CTB amplified the positive and negative effects of relevant EF ideologies on EF purchase decisions (Study 1), and consumption and conservation attitudes, intentions, as well as future behavior (Study 2). In each study, only people with higher levels of CTB demonstrated the most ideologically consistent consumption and conservation intentions and behavior. These findings clarify who is most likely to align their decisions and lifestyles according to their sustainable consumption ideologies. The amplification effect of CTB, and the CTB variable itself, present new contributions to consumer behavior research and the domains of sustainable or ethical consumption in particular and offer wide-ranging potential for marketing practitioners and researchers.