Role of religiosity in purchase of green products by Muslim students

Abstract

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate the role of religiosity in Indian Muslim students with the objective of mapping their attitude towards green products.Design/methodology/approachData were generated from 306 Muslim students enrolled in educational institutes located in the national capital of India (i.e. New Delhi). The study sample was identified through purposive sampling, and then the questionnaire was personally administered. The data were analysed using SPSS and AMOS, and research hypotheses were validated using structural equation modelling.FindingsThe findings of the present study suggest that environmental concern is a precursor of consumer attitude towards green products, and antecedents of environmental concern are collectivism and eco-literacy. Further, the findings also suggest that religiosity significantly and positively affects collectivism values of consumers. However, religiosity was not found to be significantly associated with the level of eco-literacy of consumers.Practical implicationsReligiosity emerged as one of the main factors that needs to be considered while promoting green products in India. In their promotion messages, green marketers attempting to target Muslim students ought to emphasize that Islamic tenets enjoin upon them to collectively take the responsibility of preserving the environment. The natural resources and the environment may be presented as a gift of Almighty Allah, and steps towards environmental conservation may be projected as a mode of pleasing Allah.Originality/valueThis study is pioneering in the sense that it proposes a comprehensive and practical model for mapping attitude towards green products for young Indian Muslim consumers. In fact, the study takes a lead in examining the role of religiosity as antecedent in mapping of attitude towards green products and the role of collectivism and eco-literacy in influencing environmental concern.