Managing the transition to eco-friendly packaging – An investigation of consumers’ motives in online retail

Abstract

Online retail sales have increased steadily over recent years, and the COVID-19 pandemic has further accelerated this growth. However, extensive packaging use in online retail harms the environment. Although eco-friendly packaging is gaining traction, it remains unclear which factors determine consumers' intentions to use that type of packaging. This study uses a goal-framing approach to examine consumers' motives for eco-friendly packaging adoption in online retail. We analyze data from 1,491 German consumers using structural equation modeling. The results reveal that gain and normative motives positively influence consumers’ choice of eco-friendly packaging, while hedonic motives seem to be of lesser importance. The findings contribute to a better theoretical understanding of sustainable consumer behavior as we identify the essential goal frames that determine the intention to use eco-friendly packaging in online retail. We provide recommendations for online retailers regarding the functional requirements that must be considered to meet consumer demands when introducing eco-friendly packaging.