Identifying the green consumer: A segmentation study

Abstract

The modern world has led consumers to become increasingly concerned about the environment. Such concerns have begun to be displayed in their purchasing patterns, with consumers increasingly preferring to buy so-called ‘environmentally friendly products’. Marketing managers have in turn recognised the strategic importance of marketing in finding responses to the ‘environmental needs’ of consumers due to the influence this may have on their consumption habits. The growing number of organisations entering the green product market also indicates the need for suitable segmentation and positioning strategies. This paper focuses on the identification of distinct market segments. Through the use of variables related to the environment, as well as demographic variables, the segments that are occupied by consumers with different sensitivities to environmental matters are identified, and the possible implications of these results for the marketing strategies of companies are also discussed.