Demystifying the green purchasing behavior of young consumers: Moderating role of green skepticism

Abstract

ABSTRACT Environmental protection is increasingly a concern, but false claims by companies have raised green skepticism among consumers. Young consumers constitute a significant group for consumption in an economy like India. While young consumers have rarely been surveyed on factors like green perceived value and perception regarding green claims, there is a paucity of research on the moderating role of skepticism. This paper provides a new perspective regarding the underexplored debate on green skepticism levels among young consumers. Data from 610 respondents were gathered through a researcher-controlled survey. Antecedents to environmental attitude, namely green perceived value, environmental knowledge, and interpersonal influence, were found to influence the relationships significantly. Young consumers’ environmental attitude was significant in explaining their green purchasing behavior. The paper sheds first light on the negative moderating effect of skepticism on the attitude-behavior relationship. The study highlights the role of educated and urban young consumers in sustainable consumption. In the same vein, findings suggest that managers should consider the importance of consumers’ doubts as a valuable element for global green advertising effectiveness.