Role of Higher Education Students’ Environmental Awareness and Environmental Concern in the Purchase Intention of Circular Economy Products

Abstract

A circular economy is a concept of sustainable development that enhances a company’s image and influences consumers’ attitudes toward the corporation. Trust, commitment, and identification in relationship marketing are key factors for fostering long-term relationships. This study aimed to examine the relationship quality and attitudes between higher education students’ personal environmental perspectives and circular economy products, further investigating their impact on the purchase intention of circular economy products. Therefore, this research proposed and tested a theoretical framework that combined variables, including environmental concern, environmental awareness, relationship quality with circular economy products, and attitudes, to determine the influencing factors on higher education students’ purchase intention of circular economy products. This study adopted a survey design method and employed partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze data from 443 higher education students from Taiwan and Thailand. The results indicated that environmental awareness and environmental concern are critical antecedent factors for attitude and relationship quality (trust and identification) in circular economy products. In addition, trust and attitude in circular economy products have a significant impact on commitment. Furthermore, trust, commitment, and identification with circular economy products are crucial determining factors for the purchase intention of circular economy products. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the factors influencing higher education students’ purchase intention of circular economy products, thereby achieving the goal of environmental sustainability.