An empirical investigation of the determinants influencing consumers' planned choices of eco-innovative materials

Victoria Sophie Osburg

doi:10.1504/ijisd.2016.10000279

Abstract

Wood-polymer composites (WPCs) are eco-innovative materials combining wood and plastics. Due to the novelty, little is known about consumer acceptance. Investigating the drivers of consumers' WPC choices reveals consumers' perception of the materials' advantages over competing ones. The predictors of WPC acceptance were examined within a theory of planned behaviour (TPB; Ajzen, 1991) framework. An online survey (N = 357), varying material x appearance within and product category between subjects, was conducted in Germany. Structural equation modelling revealed that the attitudes towards environmental and innovative product aspects and the subjective norm explain the intention to buy WPC products (R2 = 0.56). Consumers' choice behaviour was assessed with a choice-based conjoint analysis (CBCA) and predicted by the behavioural intention and perceived behavioural control (PBC) (R2 = 0.39). Hence, the present study identifies important drivers of WPC acceptance that could be useful for deriving certain marketing implications, potentially fostering more eco-friendly consumption.

Highlights

Efficient resource utilisation has gained increasing importance owing to a competition for limited resources
Wood-polymer composites (WPCs) seem to have fewer factors, which might impede the participant’s acceptance compared with the established materials. Both behavioural intention ratings reveal that WPCs were marginally less preferred than the average of all three materials (BI1: M = −0.08, SD = 0.77, t = −2.09, p = 0.038; BI2: M = −0.05, SD = 0.67, t = −1.30, p = 0.194)
WPCs are promising eco-innovative materials as they mainly consist of wood by-products, which are otherwise used for energy purposes

Summary

Introduction

Efficient resource utilisation has gained increasing importance owing to a competition for limited resources. Materials have been developed to fulfil both the needs for competition and the sustainability These eco-innovative materials have several advantages such as a diverse range of environmental benefits, cost-savings because of less resources being used and market competitiveness (Crabbé et al, 2013; Lin et al, 2013; Medeiros et al, 2014). Even though they are promising, these materials will fail without achieving consumer acceptance. Marketing should find out consumers’ (product) requirements by taking environmental concerns into consideration These issues should be addressed by emphasising the product’s benefits and by simultaneously meeting the concerns of consumers

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