Exploring generation Z consumers’ purchase intention towards green products during the COVID-19 pandemic in China

Abstract

China's Generation Z consumers are gradually developing an awareness of environmental issues and a willingness to purchase green products. Meanwhile, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected various traditional industries worldwide. This study aims to explore the factors that influence the purchase intention of green products among Chinese Generation Z consumers after the pandemic. This research utilizes the Theory of Planned Behaviour as a theoretical framework to discuss the effects of epistemic factors including attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control as well as non-cognitive factors including anticipated positive emotion and personal moral norms on Generation Z consumers’ purchase intention of green products under the circumstance of COVID-19 pandemic. We collected primary data from 259 Chinese Generation Z consumers through an online questionnaire collection platform. This research shows that anticipated positive emotion is the most important affecting factor of Chinese Generation Z consumers’ green product purchase intention under the circumstance of COVID-19 pandemic, followed by perceived behavioural control, personal moral norm, attitude, and subjective norm, respectively.