Green Consumption Research Articles

Comprehensive Study on the Determinants of Green Behaviour of Slovenian Consumers: The Role of Marketing Communication, Lifestyle, Psychological, and Social Determinants

Despite the growing importance of green consumption, the green attitude–behaviour gap remains a key challenge, highlighting the discrepancy between consumers’ expressed environmental concerns and their actual sustainable-purchasing practices. This study identified key determinants of consumers’ sustainable behaviours and the influence of sustainable development goals-related marketing communication across socio-demographic groups. A quantitative causal research design was employed based on a self-administered online questionnaire targeting the Slovenian population (N = 502). The findings indicate a positive, though weak (ρ = 0.384), correlation between consumers’ attitudes and their behaviours. A substantial and significant positive influence of marketing communication, psychological, and social determinants on pro-environmental behaviour was found, while lifestyle inhibited this behaviour. An analysis of the marketing communication dimension showed that it had the greatest influence on men, consumers aged 35 years or more and those with lower education and income, especially through the information received, trust, and advertisement attractiveness. These results suggest the need for tailored marketing strategies that emphasise practical benefits and trustworthy information to effectively promote sustainable practices. This research underscores the importance of clear and credible marketing communications in fostering sustainable consumer behaviour, particularly in regions where scepticism towards marketing claims is widespread.

Exploring the Influence of Consumer Perception, Social Norms, and Face Consciousness on Generation Z’s Willingness to Purchase Counterfeit Luxury Goods

This conceptual study explores the influence of consumer perception, social norms, and face consciousness on Generation Z's willingness to purchase counterfeit luxury goods. As the youngest and most digitally connected consumer group, Generation Z presents a unique paradox: a desire for luxury and social status juxtaposed with value-driven, often budget-conscious purchasing behaviors. Drawing on theories of consumer behavior, social identity, and face consciousness, this paper examines how Generation Z’s motivations are shaped by perceptions of counterfeit value, peer influence, and a heightened sense of social image. By analyzing these factors, the study provides a framework for understanding Gen Z's attitudes toward counterfeit luxury goods, offering insights for luxury brand managers to reinforce brand authenticity and mitigate counterfeit appeal. Findings suggest that aligning brand strategies with Gen Z’s values around authenticity, social responsibility, and exclusivity can play a pivotal role in counteracting the demand for counterfeit products, while fostering a culture of informed and ethical consumption.

Selling of care offerings and the ethicalisation of consumption

With care being increasingly present and offered for sale on markets consumers are more often asked to consider ethical questions. However, ethical consumption literature has not paid close attention to how the selling of different care offerings contributes to the ethicalisation of consumption. To illustrate and conceptualise this phenomenon, the present paper builds on an object-focused study of care products and services from both online and offline Swedish clothing retail settings. The Callonian notion of qualification, which refers to the attachment of different characteristics in the making of exchangeable goods, is drawn on theoretically to study how care offerings, such as repair kits and laundry tools, are offered for sale. The findings suggest that the qualifications propose a shift from care-less consumption, where the care offerings are made central to the performance of caring consumption through everyday mundane activities. Thus, the paper shows that the way care products and services are offered for sale wants to intervene and shape how caring consumption is made possible through markets and how it should be performed through ethicalised mundane chores.

Only the Friendly Face? The Consequences of Consumer Education for Green Consumerism in Remanufacturing

Empirical studies suggest that investing in consumer education on green consumption not only naturally induces environmental sustainability but also yields various economic benefits for the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). However, as far as we know, these studies overlook the potential cannibalization of new product sales. By developing a theoretical model that involves consumer education on green consumption when choosing between in-house or outsourcing remanufacturing, we find that if allowing the flexibility of remanufacturing outsourcing, consumer education on green consumption introduces opportunities for opportunistic behaviors that can compromise both profitability and environmental objectives. Specifically, when OEMs engage in remanufacturing, either in-house or through outsourcing, we observe that the incentive to invest in consumer education on green consumption is greater for in-house remanufacturing compared to outsourcing. This heightened incentive for consumer education enables OEMs to maintain higher profits under remanufacturing in-house, which results in a threat to environmental sustainability.

Active learning-based machine learning approach for enhancing environmental sustainability in green building energy consumption

Green building (GB) techniques are essential for reducing energy waste in the construction sector, which accounts for almost 40% of global energy consumption. Despite their importance, challenges such as occupant behavior and energy management gaps often result in GBs consuming up to 2.5 times more energy than intended. To address this, Building Automation Systems (BAS) play a crucial role in enhancing energy efficiency. This research develops a predictive model for GB design using machine learning to minimize energy consumption and improve indoor sustainability. The dataset is utilized to predict cooling and heating individually, with data visualization by graphically illustrating dataset features and preprocessing through Z-Score normalization and dataset splitting. The proposed model, based on active learning and utilizing ML regressors such as Random Forest (RF), Decision Tree (DT), Gradient Boosting (GB), Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), CatBoost (CB), Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LGBM), K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN), and Logistic Regressor (LR), shows significant performance improvements. The CBR-AL model achieves impressive results with values of 0.9975 for cooling (Y1) and 0.9883 for heating (Y2), indicating a high level of accuracy. The model’s success in reducing energy consumption and improving sustainability has potential ripple effects, including substantial cost savings, reduced carbon footprints, and improved operational efficiency in green buildings. This approach not only enhances environmental sustainability but also sets a benchmark for future advancements in predictive modelling for energy management.

Exploring the Effects of Low-Carbon Labels on Purchase Intentions for Green Agricultural Products

Expedited economic expansion and innovative technological advancement have precipitated considerable environmental predicaments, giving rise to extensive ecological conundrums worldwide. In response to the pressing situation, numerous countries have implemented policies aimed at reducing carbon emissions. One such initiative is the “low-carbon label”, which signifies a commitment to lowering carbon emissions. On one hand, it offers consumers an effective means to identify low-carbon products, thereby enhancing their willingness towards green consumption. On the other hand, it motivates businesses to transition towards greener practices, thereby guiding the market towards more environmentally friendly directions. This transition has had a significantly positive impact on reducing carbon emissions and promoting the development of a low-carbon economy, highlighting its critical value within the broader environmental movement. This study focuses on exploring whether the low-carbon label can influence consumers’ willingness to purchase green agricultural products. The theoretical framework was developed based on the theory of perceived value and SOR theory. The data were gathered through a randomized survey conducted in China. The research findings suggest that the perceived environmental value, functional value, and emotional value have significant impacts on consumers’ willingness to purchase green agricultural products. Trust in low-carbon labels plays a critical role in mediating the relationship between perceived value and consumers’ purchasing intentions for green agricultural products. Our research yielded the following conclusions. (1) Consumers are progressively cultivating an independent pro-environmental persona and increasingly aligning themselves with sustainable development, as indicated by their affinity towards carbon labels. (2) The selection of low-carbon agricultural products by consumers is contingent upon sensory perception, emphasizing environmental spillover value, functional enhancement, and emotional support. (3) Consumer confidence in green low-carbon agricultural products stems from an intuitive perception perspective, suggesting that low-carbon labels should accentuate functional and emotional values. The study suggests proactive measures to enhance the role of low-carbon labels in the consumption of green agricultural products. These measures include three parts: (1) Improving the content system of low-carbon labels and integrating digital technologies to reconstruct trust systems; (2) strengthening promotional efforts focusing on enhancing consumers’ intrinsic value perceptions; and (3) establishing a national-level low-carbon labels certification system, raising standards, and strengthening supervision.

Research on the Impact of BYD Group’s Green Innovation on Corporate Financial Performance under the Background of “Dual Carbon”

With the increasingly severe global climate change problem, the “dual carbon” goals (peak carbon emissions and carbon neutrality) have become a common focus of international attention. The report of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China clearly emphasizes the need to accelerate the green transformation of development models, implement comprehensive strategies for frugal development, support the growth of green and low-carbon industries, and promote the concept of green consumption. At the same time, “Made in China 2025” also elaborates on the strategic concept of innovation-driven and green development centered, and strives for breakthroughs in key industries such as new energy vehicles. In such a macro environment, adopting green innovation measures by enterprises not only contributes to ecological protection but also has an undeniable impact on their economic performance and overall value. This article takes BYD Group as a case study to explore in detail the positive effects of green innovation on its economic performance. We first systematically organized and analyzed BYD’s specific practices in green innovation; Then, by examining three key financial indicators, BYD’s current financial situation was analyzed in depth; On this basis, combined with research data, the positive impact of green innovation on BYD’s financial performance was revealed; Finally, based on the analysis results, relevant suggestions are proposed to provide reference for the sustainable development of enterprises in the context of “dual carbon.”

Green horizons: Synergized green technological innovation and green energy consumption on ecological degradation

The ecological environment is at great risk due to economic activities owing to investments, rapid industrialization, and energy resources depletion, which pose significant environmental challenges globally. Recent research has emphasized on the crucial role of green energy consumption (GEN) and green technology innovation in attaining environmental sustainability. However, there are still areas that need to be addressed. This research study investigates the role of GEN, green technology innovation, and foreign direct investment while controlling the effect of economic growth (EGR) and trade openness level on the ecological footprint (EFP) using data from 1999 to 2022 for Pakistan. We used diverse econometric methodologies to ensure the data consistency. We examine the long-term relationships among the study variables using fully modified ordinary least-squares and canonical co-integrating regression. The results revealed that green technology innovation, and GEN emerge as pivotal in reducing environmental degradation. Conversely, foreign direct investment and EGR increased the EFP, validating the pollution haven hypothesis in Pakistan. These findings highlighted the significance of green technology innovation that increased GEN to address ecological degradation. These findings contribute to more extensive discussions on environmental sustainability and development of the green horizon, particularly in the context of developing countries like Pakistan.

Factors affecting consumers’ green product purchase decisions in Vietnam

Though previous literature on green consumer behavior focuses on the Vietnamese market, the concept of consumer behavior is quite broad and not yet clearly understood. Therefore, this paper aims to focus more on the behavior of consumers in Vietnam in terms of green product buying decisions and their determinants. This study used the research model of Kumar and Ghodeswar (2015) as the methodological input in addition to the variables modeled by them. Data were collected from a total of 350 respondents from 4 locations, namely Hanoi, Da Nang, Binh Dinh, and Ho Chi Minh City. The data were used for EFA, CFA and SEM structural model analysis. The results show that consumers decide to buy green products for many reasons. Such reasons are: they want to support environmental protection, drive for environmental responsibility, support products with green attributes (Eco-label), support the price of green products, and become involved in the green product experience. In particular, social appeal has a significant influence on the decision-making process. The originality of this study is that it examined new factors that influence consumers’ purchase decisions towards green products including products with green attributes (Eco-label) and the price of green products.

GREEN MARKETING: A STUDY OF CONSUMERS’ PURCHASING BEHAVIOR OF SELECTED ECO-FRIENDLY PRODUCTS

The phrase "green products" is widely used to describe products and services that try to protect or enhance the environment during manufacture, use, or disposal through resource conservation and decreased use of hazardous chemicals, pollution, and waste. The Present study is on the subject of green consumer purchase behavior. This study explores the awareness and knowledge of Green Products. After consumers realized how their purchasing decisions, directly and indirectly, impacted the environment and their health, they began making more green purchases. Most studies that analyze it don't clearly define any particular product categories, such as organic food, green clothing, green electronics, green cleaning trends, ethical personal accessories, reusable containers, eco-friendly home goods, green cosmetics or organic personal care, green furniture, etc. Contrary to general green products, different product categories have different factors that influence consumer choice. Therefore, the paper aims to perform a complete holistic review of the fragmented and divergent studies on specific product categories. The purpose of consumer behavior research on green issues is to identify the rules that govern green consumption and make specific suggestions for promoting green consumption. Each sustainability value should come from home.

Artificial Intelligence and Consumer’s Perception: A Research on Environmentally Conscious Consumer

The purpose of this study is to explore the limited exploration of the simultaneous influence of beneficial artificial intelligence, destructive artificial intelligence, and risky artificial intelligence on green purchase intention and green purchase behaviour using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Innovation Resistance Theory (IRT). Further, it also checks the impact of green purchase intention on green purchase behaviour. Data was collected using a well-structured questionnaire from 124 consumers through online mode and analyzed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) for reliability and validity concerns and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) for interaction among the variables. The study's results exhibit the positive impact of beneficial artificial intelligence on green purchase intention and green purchase behaviour. Also, it reveals that destructive artificial intelligence has a positive impact on green purchase intention but a negative impact on green purchase behaviour. In addition, green purchase intention is found to be the predictor of green purchase behaviour. The extant literature is found on the impact of artificial intelligence on purchase behaviour. However, no research has been done on consumer perception of artificial intelligence and its impact on green purchase intention and green purchase behaviour as per the author’s knowledge. This study contributes to the literature of artificial intelligence as well as green consumer behaviour.

Dietary interventions for Alzheimer's in Pakistan: The MIND diet perspective.

Dear Editor, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) stands as the prevalent type of dementia, making up 50–75% of total cases, and showing a higher incidence among elderly patients. (1). Pakistan is a lower-middle-income country with an estimated 150,000–200,000 patients affected by dementia (2). Nevertheless, the patient population faces inadequate healthcare resources, with only one neurosurgeon for every 1,000,000 patients (3). The Alzheimer's Association Facts and Figures Guidelines (2014) have highlighted diet as a modifiable risk factor in progression of AD (4). Thus, investigating lifestyle modifications in the early stages of AD to potentially alleviate the disease progression becomes imperative, considering the significant burden the disease imposes on the healthcare system. The MIND diet is a composite dietary approach, derived from both the Mediterranean and DASH diets. It underscores the consumption of leafy greens, berries, nuts, whole grains, fish, legumes, and poultry while advocating for the use of olive oil. Conversely, it discourages the intake of red meat, butter, cheese, pastries, and fried or fast-food items (5). Agarwal et al. investigated the impact of the MIND diet on AD pathology in 581 autopsied participants from the Rush Memory and Aging Project. Their research demonstrated a significant correlation between adherence to the MIND diet and a decline in overall disease pathology, particularly in the reduction of Beta-amyloid plaques (6). Furthermore, another study illustrated that increased compliance with the MIND diet was associated with a reduced risk of hippocampal sclerosis (HS), a neurodegenerative condition linked to AD, even after accounting for other factors, such as APOE-4 status and AD pathology (7). Moreover, Morris et al.'s longitudinal study on US participants found a 53% lower risk for AD among individuals who adhered closely to the MIND diet and a 35% lower risk for those with moderate adherence after a follow-up of approximately 4.5 years (8). These findings indicate a potential role for the MIND diet in reducing the risk of AD and slowing cognitive decline. A comprehensive literature search on PubMed and PakMediNet revealed a lack of research, evaluating the efficacy of the MIND diet in the management of AD in Pakistan. This underscores the inadequacy in the implementation of the MIND diet among the patients. Consequently, it is recommended that researchers submit research grant proposals about the efficacy of the MIND diet in AD to different funding organizations. ---Continue

Ethical Biographies: Product Provenance and the Pursuit of Ethical Consumption

Ethical Biographies: Product Provenance and the Pursuit of Ethical Consumption

Determinants of green consumption: a systematic literature review using the TCCM approach

Determinants of green consumption: a systematic literature review using the TCCM approach

Sustainable consumption practices among Chinese youth

A global crisis caused by unsustainable practices and their detrimental effects on civilization has compelled us to rethink the adoption of green consumption practices. This study aims to determine the determinants of green consumption behavior among Chinese youth. Based on the integrated frameworks of two renowned theories, the knowledge-attitude-practice model and the theory of planned behavior, this study proposes 11 hypotheses for empirical investigation. An online survey was used for a quantitative cross-sectional study with a convenience sample of young Chinese consumers. A dataset comprising 876 observations was examined by applying partial least squares structural equation modeling using Smart-PLS 4.0. The results show that green consumption intention and perceived behavioral control significantly affect green consumption behavior. Attitudes towards eco-social benefits, attitudes towards green consumption, and subjective norms positively affect green consumption intentions. In addition, environmental concern and knowledge positively affected all three attitude dimensions. The study further identified that green self-identity moderates the connection between green consumption intention and green consumption behavior, whereas ecolabelling is not a significant moderator of the same relationship. The theoretical contribution of this study is that it employs multigroup analysis to investigate gender- and income-based variations in the relationships, offering a comprehensive framework integrating theories along with dimensions of attitude, which offers nuanced insights into green consumption behavior. Regarding its policy implications, this study highlights the necessity of promoting environmental concern and knowledge through education and awareness campaigns while supporting eco-social benefits and green consumption practices, which can be a potent way to promote positive attitudes, intentions, and sustainable behaviors among the general population.

Ethical Consumption: A Review and Research Agenda

ABSTRACTEthical consumption is a domain of consumer research that focuses on individuals' ethical concerns when making consumption decisions. Owing to its enormous potential as a research domain, ethical consumption has gained increasing importance, especially in view of the impact of consumption choices on the environment and society as a whole. This study consolidates the existing body of information on ethical consumption through a systematic literature review (SLR) employing the SPAR‐4‐SLR methodology in conjunction with the ADO‐TCM framework. An extensive search was conducted using the Scopus and Web of Science databases, carefully selecting 125 publications related to ethical consumption from 2002 to 2023. Next, a comprehensive descriptive analysis was conducted to identify the most substantial gaps in the literature and propose concrete directions for future research. Scholars across academic fields can utilize these findings and guidelines to inform their research, while practitioners can implement ethical consumption behavioral philosophies in their sustainable business practices.

Young customers’ intention to purchase organic food in South Africa: extending the theory of planned behaviour

Ethical consumption has become an increasing trend as young customers get increasingly aware of their environmental and ethical responsibilities. The study aimed to examine the determinants of organic food purchase intention and behaviour of young customers in South Africa by extending the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). The main objective of the study was to determine the effects of TPB constructs (attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control) on young consumers’ intention to purchase organic food. Also, the study investigated whether the extended TPB model would improve the predictive validity of the model. The TPB was modified by the addition of three value constructs (health, environmental and appearance consciousness) as antecedents of attitude and intention and two personal factors (moral norms and ethical self-identity) as predictors of purchase intention. In addition, the study examined the mediating effects of attitude towards organic food in the relationship between value and purchase intention. Furthermore, the study determined the effect of intention on actual organic food purchase behaviour of young consumers. The study adopted a quantitative research approach and data was collected through the cross-sectional survey method using self-administered questionnaires from four hundred and three respondents. The questionnaires were distributed to the respondents through mall intercept and the Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling (PLS SEM) was used to test the hypotheses of the study. The findings confirmed that two constructs of the TPB (attitude towards organic food and perceived behavioural control) are predictors of purchase intention. In addition, health and environmental consciousness are antecedents of attitude and intention. Attitude mediates the relationship between health, environmental consciousness and intention. Furthermore, intention is a predictor of behaviour. Recommendations to improve the purchase of organic food focus on communication by marketers to consumers about the benefits of organic food. The study concludes that the extended TPB is an applicable theoretical framework to explain the purchase of organic food by young consumers.

The influence of ecolabels in the consumption of green products: a study on Durban consumers

The purpose of the study is to ascertain the influence of ecolabels in the consumption of certified green products. It explores ecolabels in Durban, hoping to gain valuable insights into ecolabels’ role in influencing the consumption of certified green products. The study employed a quantitative and a non-probability sampling method to understand the influence of ecolabels among green consumers in Durban. To ensure that the data represents the diversity of Durban consumers, a random sampling method was adopted. The data was collected using questionnaires and analysed using the IBM SPSS Version 25. The study employed a sample of 384 customers from retail malls within selected Durban suburbs. The findings revealed that consumers generally have a positive perception of ecolabels and are likely to recommend certified green products. However, the data also revealed that there is scepticism around certified green products as they are considered expensive and can perhaps be attributed to the high cost of certification, credibility issues and the cost associated with the ecolabelling. There is a potential trend towards wider acceptance, with more respondents trusting the authenticity of ecolabels than not. The study also found that older respondents and those with higher income tend to have a more positive perception of ecolabels, potentially due to higher disposable income and greater familiarity with the concept. This suggests that addressing concerns about cost and credibility could further increase positive consumer perception of ecolabels. Businesses can use these findings to develop strategies to address consumer concerns about the cost and credibility of certified green products. They can also target marketing efforts towards older demographics and higher-income consumers who are more receptive to ecolabels. Policymakers can use the findings to evaluate the effectiveness of existing ecolabeling programs and also develop strategies to increase consumer awareness and trust in ecolabels, especially younger audiences.

Mechanochemical Synthesis of Corannulene Flanked N-heterocyclic Carbene (NHC) Precursors and Preparation of Their Metal Complexes.

The synthesis of new compounds is an important pillar for the advancement of the field of chemistry and adjacent fields. In this regard, over the last decades huge efforts have been made to not only develop new molecular entities but also more efficient sustainable synthetic methodologies due to the increasing concerns over environmental sustainability. In this context, we have developed synthetic routes to novel corannulene flanked imidazolium bromide NHC precursors both in the solid-state and solution phases. Our work presents a comprehensive comparative study of mechanochemical routes and conventional solution-based methods. Green metrics and energy consumption comparison were performed for both routes revealing ball-milling generation of these compounds to be an environmentally greener technique to produce such precursors compared to conventional solvent-based methods. In addition, we have demonstrated proof-of-concept of the herein reported corannulene flanked NHCs to be robust ligands for transition metals and their ligand substitution reactions.

Internet development and green economic efficiency in China: A new perspective of government's dual goal constraints and citizens' green lifestyle

AbstractThe rapid development of the information and communication technologies (ITCs) and the internet is deeply embedded in all aspects of economic life. With its high economic efficiency and significant green attributes, digitalization provides opportunities for promoting a green economy. However, the effects of digitalization and internet development on China's green economic efficiency are understudied. There is also a gap in research on how digitalization and internet development influence Chinese citizens to choose a green lifestyle from the consumer perspective. This article aims to enrich the research in this field by exploring the effects of internet development on green economic efficiency in China. The article further analyses how digitalization and internet development can encourage citizens to choose a green lifestyle. Drawing on panel data from 257 cities in China spanning the period from 2012 to 2020, this article utilizes the entropy method and the SBM‐GML model to assess the correlation between internet development and green economy efficiency. We also employ the basic regression model, system GMM model, mediation effect model and adjustment model to study the impact of internet development on urban green economic efficiency. The study found that internet development and green economic efficiency face constraints that are inherent in the government's dual economic growth and environmental goals and targets. We also found that digitalization and internet development can promote citizens' adoption of green lifestyles through the fostering of citizen environmental concern and green consumption habits. Further analysis shows that internet development has a more pronounced effect on green economic efficiency in eastern cities, large cities, non‐resource‐based cities and cities with higher economic development. These findings provide useful references for developing countries that promote urban green economic efficiency through digitalization and internet development.