Sustainable Purchase Intention Research Articles

Do corporate social responsibility drive sustainable purchase intention? An empirical study in emerging economy

PurposeThe purpose of the research is to investigate whether corporate social responsibility awareness (pCSR), environmental concerns (EC) and consumer environmental knowledge (CK) will have an impact on sustainable purchase intention (SPI). Furthermore, this paper also contributes to surveying the mediating impact of consumer attitudes (CAs) between intention and the three factors mentioned above.Design/methodology/approachSmartPLS (version 4.0) structural equation modeling (SEM) and quantitative methods were used to analyze 457 responses from consumers. The survey sample consisted of individuals between the ages of 18 and 34, with a male-to-female ratio of 70 to 30. The study aims to examine and put into practice new directions for manufacturing firms in the fields of fashion, food and consumer products. At the same time, provide more convincing evidence about the use of these fields in the research.FindingsThe study showed a favorable link between pCSR, EC, CK and SPI through the proposed hypotheses. The research additionally showed that CAs mediate between the aforementioned variables.Originality/valueThe important and distinctive results of this study encourage both consumers and enterprises to make changes in their perceptions of society. Consumers should gradually change their daily lifestyle by consuming more sustainable products. As a result, this outcome will provide the impetus for manufacturing businesses to alter their operational procedures in order to support the shift from the production of products to more friendly processes, with the help of all levels of management within the business.

The Effect of Utility Value, Hedonic Value and Social Value on Sustainable Purchase Intentions

Consumers not only consider the functional needs of products, but also other values such as personal enjoyment and social values. This research aims to examine the factors influencing sustained purchasing intention among TikTok users in Solo Raya. Within the framework of Utility Value, Hedonic Value, and Social Value, hypotheses are proposed and tested to comprehend the impact of independent variables on purchasing intention, with the mediating role of customer trust. A quantitative method utilizing Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) is employed to analyze data collected through the distribution of closed-ended questionnaires to respondents aged 17-30 who have made purchases via TikTok. The research sample comprises 70 respondents from Solo Raya. This study seeks to provide in-depth insights into consumer behavior in the digital era, specifically focusing on the TikTok platform. Practical implications encompass guidelines for e-commerce practitioners to understand and enhance factors influencing sustained purchasing intention. Additionally, this research contributes to the literature on the influence of values and trust in the context of online purchasing, particularly through social media platforms.

Environmental Concerns, Sustainable Consumption, and COVID-19 Fear in Online Consumers: A Research Exploration

As a conceptual paper, this study examines the nuanced relationships between consumers’ environmental orientations (egoistic, altruistic, and biospheric) and their sustainable consumption patterns, particularly emphasizing the prevailing influence of COVID-19 fear. Utilizing a targeted survey approach, responses from online Taiwanese and Thai consumers are gathered and analyzed through a Structural Equation Model, incorporating diverse analytical avenues such as path, mediation, moderation, and multi-group analyses. The study aims to describe prosocial consumers by their distinct environmental concerns and subsequent sustainable consumption behaviors. Furthermore, the study sheds light on how the COVID-19 pandemic has modulated the dynamic between environmental considerations and tangible sustainable consumption actions. In a post-pandemic setting, the study contributes to academic discourse by highlighting the confluence of environmental consciousness and sustainable consumption. It also provides pragmatic implications for businesses, directing them towards eco-centric product offerings and cultivating a deeper ecological awareness among consumers, fostering sustainable purchase intention and behaviors.

Do cosmopolitans care about the world? The effect of cosmopolitanism on the consumption of sustainable apparel

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to empirically examine the impact of cosmopolitan consumer orientation (CCO) on sustainable apparel consumer behavior.Design/methodology/approachA total of 469 US responses collected using MTurk were retained for the analysis after screening for unengaged responses. Structural equation modeling was used to confirm the factor structure of the measurement model and to analyze the structural model. A two-step cluster analysis using log-likelihood distance measure and Akaike's Information Criterion was conducted to explore consumer profiles and past behavior.FindingsBased on the model results, CCO positively impacts apparel sustainability knowledge, attitude toward purchasing sustainable apparel, perceived norm and sustainable apparel purchase intention. Attitude and perceived norm also impact sustainable purchase intention. The two-step cluster analysis, based mainly on sustainable past behavior, reveals that the group of sustainability engaged consumers knows more about apparel sustainability, has a stronger intention to purchase sustainable apparel, is more cosmopolitan and shows a higher tendency to follow social norms. Consumers in this group also tend to live in metropolitan areas and are slightly younger than unengaged consumers.Originality/valueThis study expands CCO research linking two major trends in society and industry: cosmopolitanism and sustainable apparel consumer behavior. The study reveals that CCO uplifts consumers' sustainable behavior and provides evidence in support of CCO as a driver of sustainable consumer behavior. Moreover, results imply a positive future outlook for the diffusion of sustainable apparel, as well as a much-needed mainstream consumer adhesion to more sustainable lifestyles. Given the repercussions of the findings, this research has numerous theoretical as well practical implications.

Sustainable purchase intentions towards organic food during Covid-19 pandemic: an exploratory study on Indian consumers

PurposeThis study aims to determine the factors influencing consumers’ organic food purchase intention during Covid-19 and how Covid-19 impacted these factors. Understanding these factors will assist marketers in making strategic decisions on how to market their products during a crisis.Design/methodology/approachThis study used a quantitative approach. Data were collected online from 278 organic food consumers based in India. The partial least squares-path modelling method was used for data analysis.FindingsThe results revealed that Covid-19 has substantially impacted consumers' health consciousness, environmental concern, availability, price and intention to buy organic food. This study also revealed that health consciousness, environmental concerns and availability of organic food affect consumers’ purchase intention even during the Covid-19. However, it has been found that price consciousness does not influence consumers’ purchase intention during Covid-19.Practical implicationsMarketers should come up with innovative promotional strategies. Providing information related to quality checks on packages, expanding online sales channels, boosting promotional activities and emphasising the long-term benefits of organic food items should be the go-to marketing strategy of organic food.Originality/valueThe study adds value to the extant literature by examining consumers' purchase intention towards organic food using more customised and thorough constructs that appear to be more practical during the challenging times of Covid-19 and whose findings are not restricted by some pre-established theoretical assumptions.

Research on the Mechanism of Heterogeneous Corporate Environmental Responsibility in Z-Generation Consumers’ Sustainable Purchase Intention

As the public’s awareness of environmental protection and their concern for environmental issues increase, more and more companies are focusing on fulfilling their environmental responsibilities and meeting the green needs of consumers through diverse environmental behaviors. Based on the stimulus-organic-response model, this study adopts the scenario experiment method to explore the psychological response mechanism of consumers to heterogeneous corporate environmental responsibility behavior and their response to consumer behavior intentions using the two approaches of deep (psychological contract) and shallow (product sustainability perception) from the mechanisms of consumer psychological responses. Additionally, the research was conducted using the experimental scenario method and analyzed using an ANOVA and linear regression model. The results show that: consumers of Generation Z have stronger sustainable purchase intentions in the face of substantive environmental behaviors rather than symbolic environmental behaviors; consumers’ environmental self-efficacy plays a moderating role in the influence of corporate environmental responsibility behaviors on sustainable purchase intentions; and product sustainability perceptions and consumer psychological contracts have a dual mediating effect between corporate environmental responsibility behaviors and consumers’ sustainable purchase intentions. The conclusions enrich the diversity of the paths of influence of corporate environmental responsibility on consumer behavior and provide a theoretical basis for companies to effectively fulfill their environmental responsibility and choose environmentally friendly behaviors.

A Fuzzy-Based Analysis of the Mediating Factors Affecting Sustainable Purchase Intentions of Smartphones: The Case of Two Brands in Two Asian Countries

Given their functionality, all smartphone brands are the same. Their similarities notwithstanding, they supply the same product at different prices in the same market. Strangely enough, the consumers do comply and willingly pay such price premiums. This study examines the mediation effect of price premium and brand preference on the causal impact of brand equity on sustainable purchase intention. The novelty of this study is in transforming the initial measures in a 5-point Likert scale into continuous values through a fuzzification and defuzzification process. Brand equity comprises three factors: brand awareness, perceived quality, and prestige value. Standardized questionnaire collected data in two countries (Taiwan and Indonesia) on two brands of smartphones (iPhone and HTC). Overall, 404 questionnaires were distributed in Taiwan, and 434 questionnaires were distributed in Indonesia. The data were analyzed by applying a structural equation model after conducting an exploratory and confirmatory factors analysis. In order to improve the estimations’ accuracy, the initial measures in a 5-point Likert scale were transformed into continuous values through a fuzzification and defuzzification process. The former consisted of assigning triangular fuzzy numbers, and the latter entailed assigning a center of gravity to each triangular fuzzy number and then extracting a random number from a normal distribution function based on the center of gravity. According to the results, price premium and brand preference exhibited significant mediation effects, with price premium having stronger effects than brand preference. Furthermore, the mediation effect was strongest for perceived quality and weakest for perceived prestige value.

How sustainable marketing influences the customer engagement and sustainable purchase intention? The moderating role of corporate social responsibility.

Today's civilization faces serious challenges related to sustainability. Without the support of society, organizations can no longer continually build their enterprises. The pressure of sustainable development goals are also enhancing on companies. Thus, marketing managers place a strong emphasis on meeting the socio-ethical demands of their target audience, whether it is through cultural promotion, environmental conservation, or disaster relief initiatives. This study explores how sustainable marketing influences the customer engagement and sustainable purchase intention. For data collection, a self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 393 purchasers and potential purchasers of electric vehicles, and a structural equation model (SEM) test was conducted using Mplus 8.0 software. The results of the study showed that: First, the outcome states that sustainable marketing valuable for improving brand image. Second, brand image is good for customer engagement in the Chinese market for electric automobiles. Third, the appeal of sustainable purchasing intentions is increased by brand image. Fourth, a useful instrument for long-term purchase intentions is customer engagement. Fifth, CSR has a significant role in enhancing consumers' intentions to make sustainable purchases. Most notably, it acts as a helpful moderator in the relationship between company image and customer engagement. Lastly, CSR also strengthens the link between company image and sustainable purchasing intentions. This research offers a theoretical framework and practical implications that sustainable marketing initiatives are an important antecedent of organizational outcomes for the electric vehicle sector in China.

Understanding sustainable purchase intention of smartphone users interface: Evidence from China.

In recent decades, the fast development of smartphones has resulted in an enormous mass of e-waste besides a carbon footprint increase. In the face of serious environmental concerns, the manufacture and disposal of smartphones have become a primary customer concern. Environmental concerns are becoming a decisive factor when it comes to purchasing a product. Manufacturers have shifted their focus to product design with sustainable requirements in response to these new customer requirements. With all of the affordable technology manufacturers now may consider customer-sustainable requirements. This research aims to examine the relationship between traditional customer requirements, sustainable customer requirements, and sustainable purchase intention for smartphones in China, as well as the mediation effect of sustainable perceived value and the moderation effect of price sensitivity. Customers' preferences are determined by using an online questionnaire. This research proposed an advanced sustainable purchase intention model by conducting an empirical analysis of the data gathered from 379 questionnaires. To gain a competitive advantage, companies should concentrate on meeting traditional and sustainable requirements more than the product price, according to the findings of the research. And contributes to the segmentation of the eco-friendly smartphone market.

How Does Social Media Impact Consumers’ Sustainable Purchase Intention?

Abstract Expanding expenditures and emphasis on sustainable marketing necessitate additional research to comprehend how to effectively influence sustainable attitudes and behaviour, particularly in the under-researched realms of social media. The role of social media in creating and building attitudes towards sustainable purchasing is vastly underexplored. Based on social learning theory and the theory of planned behaviour, the present study has been endeavoured to investigate the factors that influence consumers’ sustainable purchase attitudes and intentions. With the data sets obtained from three hundred 50 respondents, structural equation modelling (SEM) was employed using AMOS 22.0. From the study findings, it is observed that social media usage, social influence, drive for environmental responsibility, and perceived trust in social media are the major antecedents of consumers’ sustainable purchasing attitudes, which in turn influence their sustainable purchase intentions. It is pertinent for prominent stakeholders, including governments and regulatory agencies, to employ the findings of this study while designing campaigns to encourage individuals to practise sustainable buying behaviour. Fostering sustainable buying behaviour could help mitigate the negative consequences of impulsive purchasing on human beings and the environment. Thus, deciphering the function of social media in promoting sustainable purchasing attitudes makes the current research novel and valuable.

Sustainable purchase intentions: The role of moral norm and social dominance orientation in the theory of planned behavior applied to the case of fair trade products

AbstractThe fair trade business model represents a strategy to achieve some of the sustainable development goals. The studies reported in this paper examined the intention formation process concerning the purchase of food and non‐food fair trade products. The theoretical framework is the theory of planned behavior (TPB), extended with an additional predictor, the moral norm, and an individual difference variable, the social dominance orientation (SDO). SDO is supposed to act as a background factor in the hypothesized TPB model and to be negatively associated with intention to buy fair trade products and its proximal antecedents (attitude, subjective norm, moral norm and perceived behavioral control). Considering the role of SDO within the TPB constitutes a novelty for the literature on socio‐cognitive determinants of purchase intentions. Data were supplied by two convenience samples of Italian adults and analyzed via path analysis. The test of the original TPB provided further evidence for its efficacy. Moral norm showed a significant effect on intentions and its addition to the original TPB model led to an increase in the explained variance in intentions. Overall, SDO proved to be significantly and negatively associated with the intention's antecedents and showed the expected negative indirect effects on intention, mediated by its proximal predictors and moral norm. These findings help to improve the comprehension of the socio‐psychological basis of behavioral intentions to engage in sustainable behaviors.

Exploring the antecedents of sustainable consumers' purchase intentions: Evidence from emerging countries

AbstractThe purpose of this research study is to examine the antecedents of sustainable purchasing intention among two Asian countries' consumers, namely, India and Indonesia. Snowball sampling is used to collect data from 642 respondents from the two countries, and analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results reveal that antecedent variables such as environmental knowledge and environmental concern had a substantial impact on sustainable attitudes (SAs) and perceived behavior control; however, perceived behavior control had no impact on Indian consumers. While for Indian consumers, subjective norms had decisive moderating association between SAs and sustainable purchasing intention; for Indonesian consumers, it did not. Further, subjective norms did not show any moderating association between Indian and Indonesian consumers' perceived behavior control and sustainable purchasing intention. Finally, trust showed a significant moderating relationship between SAs, perceived behavior control and sustainable purchasing intention for Indian customers but not for Indonesian consumers.

Barriers to consumer adoption of sustainable products – an empirical analysis

Purpose This paper aims to identify and study the effect of identified eight barriers to sustainable consumption on consumers’ intention to purchase sustainable products. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from a self-administered field survey in India, and 315 valid responses were obtained from the survey process. Partial least square structural equation modeling analysis was carried out to establish the validity of the measures used and to examine the impact of the identified barriers on sustainable purchase intentions. Findings The results of this study indicate that barriers such as low willingness to pay, low functional performance, low availability of sustainable products and difficulty of integration in the normal route have a statistically significant negative impact on consumers’ sustainable purchase intentions. Practical implications The findings of this study are useful for marketers and policymakers who want to increase the consumer adoption of sustainable products in emerging markets. Originality/value This study develops measures to capture the consumers’ perception of barriers to the adoption of sustainable products.

Modeling the impact of corporate social responsibility on sustainable purchase intentions: insights into brand trust and brand loyalty

Green innovation performance deals with the strengthening of the organizations for their competence in enhancement of their green image. Current research examines the role of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in improving sustainable purchase intentions. In addition, it explores the mediating roles of brand trust and brand loyalty. It also reveals that how CSR is crucial for green innovation performance in Pakistan. This research uses the structural equation model (SEM) analysis technique to investigate the linkage between constructs in the complex research model. This uses a self-administrated survey-based questionnaire and a convenience sampling technique for data collection. The unit of analysis is buyers from textile and clothing brands consisting 373 respondents. The findings revealed that corporate social responsibility had a beneficial impact on Pakistani purchasers' long-term purchase intentions. Green innovation performance can also be improved by improving CSR. The link between CSR, sustainable buying intentions, and green innovation technology is partially mediated by brand loyalty. Brand trust was identified as a possible link between CSR and brand loyalty. Brand trust and loyalty, interestingly, modulate the link between CSR and sustainable purchase intentions as well as CSR and green innovation performance in a sequential manner. The article's findings will be useful for academics, specialists, and policymakers as these provide glimpse into textile, clothing, and fashion brands with a focus on CSR to improve green innovation performance, as well as highlighting the most relevant studies on the topic and showcasing trends in research and gaps in the field.

Why Are Products of Social Enterprises Not Purchased Continuously? : A Re-Purchase Model for Social Enterprises

Purpose: In the last decades, practitioners, including governments, have been interested in social enterprises (SEs) as a new sector, called the “fourth sector,” because of their social goals through commercial activities. Although many countries are supporting SEs because of their high evaluation of social contributions, in reality, they are highly dependent on government support, and many SEs are facing difficulties in sustainable management. Due to this issue, some studies have been conducted for the sustainable management of SEs, but research on SEs does not seem sufficient yet. For its sustainable management, the mechanisms between the important factors affecting the sustainable purchase intention of SEs must be understood from a marketing viewpoint. Thus, this study aims (1) to investigate the impact of SEs on their products; and (2) to provide a re-purchase model for SEs. Design/methodology/approach: This study consists of two empirical studies collecting data from consumers who have purchased SE’s products in South Korea. Study 1 is an exploratory study to elicit sub-constructs for SEs and their products. Study 2 tests the hypotheses using structural equation model analysis. Findings: The result of Study 1 revealed four sub-constructs for SE’s corporate associations (environment friendly, local community oriented, social responsibility, and employee welfare) and four sub-constructs of the product associations (functional, symbolic, emotional, and social). Meanwhile, the results of Study 2 show that some hypothetical paths in the conceptual re-purchase model for SEs are significant. Environment friendly only affects functional, whereas local community oriented affects symbolic and social. Meanwhile, social responsibility and employees’ welfare affect all four product associations, as hypothesized. Moreover, functional and symbolic affect only sensory experience; social affects only cognitive simulation; while emotional affects both sensory experience and cognitive stimulation. Ultimately, both sensory experience and cognitive stimulation, which were affected by corporate and product associations, positively influence re-purchase intentions. Research limitations/implications: This empirical research is meaningful in that it provides understanding about SEs from a marketing perspective. It initially provides the re-purchase mechanism for SEs to contribute a theoretical development for the emerging SE context. It also offers insights and managerial implication directions on how to market for the sustainability of SEs.

The Sustainable Purchase Intention in a New Normal of COVID-19: An Empirical Study in Malaysia

The study investigated the effect of food safety knowledge, food safety trust and the factors influencing organic food purchase intention in the 'new normal' of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study employed non-contrived and cross-sectional methods. The data was collected in Malaysia using convenience sampling. A total of 330 valid questionnaires were analyzed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) and PROCESS for hypothesis testing. The study revealed a significant relationship involving food safety knowledge on personal attitude, perceived social pressure, and perceived autonomy. Moreover, organic food purchase intention was found to be influenced by personal attitude, perceived social pressure, and perceived autonomy. Interestingly, trust in organic food safety moderated the relationship between perceived autonomy and organic food purchase intention. The study proved valuable for stakeholders and organic food producers to understand the 'new normal' COVID-19 market scenario for a sound understanding of the market and the sustainability of the organic food industry. A new research framework is proposed and validated, related to individual purchase decision in global health issues which is limited in current literature. Hence, the study contributed to a better comprehension of green consumerism mainly in the Asian market.

Enhancing consumers' pro-environmental purchase intentions: the moderating role of environmental concern

PurposeEnvironmental concern is getting increasing importance in consumer shopping decisions. Nevertheless, to date, sustainable packaged foods are not always the first option when consumers go shopping. This paper analyses how environmental concern moderates the role played by external factors – preference towards sustainable retailers and trust in sustainable producers – in determining consumer purchase intentions for sustainable packaged foods. Consumer involvement in eco-friendly labels, increasingly present in food packages, is investigated as indirectly impacting pro-environmental purchase intentions.Design/methodology/approachAn online survey administered to a sample of Italian food shoppers is used for the empirical analysis. A total of 278 structured questionnaires were modelled using a structural equation modelling approach.FindingsFindings show that producers and retailers' policies in favour of sustainability are key in determining consumers' sustainable purchase intentions. Further, coherent uses of labels and logos in light of sustainability can support consumer purchase decisions. Relevant is the influence played by the environmental concern in both supporting pro-environmental purchase intentions and in amplifying the trust in sustainable producers-purchase intentions path.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature on sustainability showing how producers and retailers may together influence consumers' pro-environmental purchase intentions. Findings extend the retail literature on the impact of producers and retailers' policies on consumers' sustainable purchases. Further, environmental concern is investigated in its moderating role on the impact of external factors on consumers' pro-environmental purchase intentions.

Verifying the Effectiveness of Sports Event Policies for a City’s Sustainable Growth: Focusing on the Multiple Effects

This article presents empirical evidence that suggests that there are multiple effects of local government sports event hosting policies. This study is predicated on the notion that the attraction of sports events is a feature of city-level policies. The empirical analysis used a multiple effects model, and the research employed a dual model approach: (a) a sponsorship effect model and (b) a tourism effect model. A questionnaire was administered online, and 383 cases were used for data processing. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were performed using SPSS 25.0 and AMOS 25.0. (a) In the “business model”, it was confirmed that event satisfaction affected sustainable purchase intention only through the sponsor’s social image. (b) The “tourism model” confirmed that event satisfaction affected the intention to engage in positive word of mouth to recommend the destination through both forming a psychological attachment and experiencing emotional satisfaction. Among the event satisfaction factors, service satisfaction was identified as more important than facility satisfaction. As shown by the above results, satisfaction with sports events had simultaneous effects on the persistence of the sponsorship effects model and the persistence of tourism effects. The study concluded that attractive sports events promoted sustainable urban growth.

Factors Affecting Sustainable Purchase Intentions of SNS Emojis: Modeling the Impact of Self-Presentation

To promote more sustainable consumption of Social Networking Service (SNS) emojis, it is necessary to understand the relationships between social psychological antecedents and SNS users’ intention to purchase emojis. This study aimed to investigate motivational factors affecting users’ intentions to purchase SNS emojis. We examined SNS users of Kakao Talk, the most widely used instant messaging service in South Korea, and investigated the relationships among five latent constructs: Self-presentation, symbolic values, playfulness, purchase intentions, and need for uniqueness. The results of this study indicate that self-presentation does not directly affect the intention to purchase emojis (β = 0.10, p > 0.05). Rather, self-presentation positively influences purchase intention through the mediating path of SNS users’ perceived symbolic value (β = 0.60, p < 0.001) and playfulness (β = 0.35, p < 0.001) to purchase intention (β = 0.29, p < 0.001; β = 0.37, p < 0.001). Further, symbolic value affects playfulness (β = 0.56, p < 0.001), which in turn leads to consumers’ intentions to purchase emojis. This study highlights that SNS users’ need for uniqueness functions as a moderator in the relationship between self-presentation and their intentions to purchase emojis.

Impact of green practices on consumers’ sustainable purchase intentions: Humans’ management adopting green strategies in Pakistan

BACKGROUND: The rapid expansion in economies has resulted in overconsumption which is alarming for the environment. Patterns of consumption play a key role in the worsening environmental surroundings, causing consumers to seek sustainable features in their buying patterns. Therefore, it is vital to understand the elements that lead to sustainable purchase intentions (SPI). OBJECTIVES: This study investigates the impact of distinct green practices – environment (EnV), perceived environmental responsibility (PreR), environmental advertisement (AvT), and eco-labeling (EcL) – on SPI. The originality of the present study lies in the investigation of distinct practices on SPI which has been ignored in past studies. METHODS: The data were collected from the main cities of Pakistan (n = 300) and analyzed using the partial least square and CFA. RESULTS: The results demonstrate the positive nexus of such practices – EnV, PreR, AvT, and EcL – on SPI. They provide extensive input into the growing literature of psychology in terms of humans’ sustainable consumption behavior with empirical evidence from a developing nation. CONCLUSIONS: This study provided the implications for the marketers along with future research directions for academicians and practitioners.