Application of the Extended Theory of Planned Behavior Model to Investigate Purchase Intention of Green Products among Thai Consumers

Kamonthip Maichum,Ke-Chung Peng,Surakiat Parichatnon

doi:10.3390/su8101077

Abstract

Green products are among the widely used products worldwide due to their environmental benefits. However, information on the consumers’ purchase intention towards green products in developing countries, such as Thailand, is lacking. This study aims to investigate Thai consumers who are aged over 18 years, and whose base education is high school, on purchase intention for green products by using an extended framework of the theory of planned behavior (TPB). We derived and examined the model through structural equation modeling in a sample of 483 respondents in Thailand. The findings of this model indicated that consumer attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control have significant positive influences on the purchase intention for green products. Furthermore, our results indicated that environmental concerns have a significant effect on attitude, perceived behavioral control and purchase intention for green products, but subjective norm. Moreover, environmental knowledge had no significant effect on the purchase intention for green products. Instead, it had a distinct indirect effect through attitude towards purchasing green products, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control. The findings from this study contribute to improving the understanding of intention to purchase green products, which could play a major role towards sustainable consumption.

Highlights

Rapid economic growth has led to adverse environmental degradation
The measurement model fit was assessed through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to confirm the factor loadings of the six constructs; attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, environmental concern, environmental knowledge and purchase intention for green products
This study examined the extended framework of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) model, in which environmental concern and knowledge are added as antecedents of attitude towards purchasing green products, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control

Summary

Introduction

Rapid economic growth has led to adverse environmental degradation. Thailand is among the largest economies and business centers in Southeast Asia; industries have developed rapidly, resulting in environmental degradation through over-consumption and over utilization of natural resources. In the wake of such impacts, consumers are concerned about their environment [1]. Among the several ways of reducing their impacts on the environment, they can make appropriate decisions on which goods to purchase. Several studies have suggested that increased awareness and interest in sustainable consumption is expected to influence the purchasing decisions of consumers [2,3]. Environmental problems and their adverse impact on human health has become an important issue among academic, government and private organizations [7,8]

Objectives

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Results

Conclusion