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Environmentally Conscious Consumer Behavior: An Empirical Study
Namita Rajput, Associate Prof., Sri Aurobindo College, Delhi University, India
Preeti Bajaj , Assistant Prof, Amity University, Noida
Geetanjali Batra, Assistant Prof.,ARSD College, Delhi University
Abstract
Environmental problems are mainly attributable to the impact of humans on natural systems. Rapid
urbanization and rising consumer oriented lifestyle has intensified the environmental problems
management. There is an urgent need to increase public environmental awareness to counter and
conquer the problem. Studies of green behavior have awakened a growing interest, since the
accelerated environmental degradation is partly attributed to a lack of such behavior which is very
difficult to change. The objective of this study is to study those variables which influence “green-
buying”, investigate whether environmental attitudes are translated into actual consumer behavior in
relevant situations and to determine variables that predict environmentally conscious consumerism.
This paper summarizes variables extracted from four models of green behavior: Environmental beliefs,
Ecological knowledge, Environmental concern and Environmental Attitudes, with a special focus on
the sample taken from Delhi and NCR individuals as an example of application of environmental
marketing strategies. Analysis shows that there is a strong relationship between the five variables
discussed above and environmentally favorable behavioral intentions. Factor analysis was conducted
using CFA (Confirmatory Factor analysis) to find out relationship of variables within the construct.
Five hypothesis asserting relationships between major variables were established. Factors influencing
green purchase intention were correlated to form a linear relationship. These hypotheses were tested
using Chi Square. To analyse the data from a different perspective, a one-way multivariate analysis of
variance (MANOVA) was performed to investigate gender differences in green purchase behaviour.
Three dependent variables were used: environmental knowledge, environmental concern and
environmental attitudes towards green purchase. The fixed variable was gender. There was a
statistically significant difference between men and women on the combined dependent variables. Men
have greater environmental knowledge, concern and attitude towards Green Purchase as compared to
women. It is recommended to relate environmental issues to survival process, in order to apply
efficient environmental marketing strategies. The results of the study indicate that environmental
knowledge, habits and concern are strongly related to environmental beliefs and influence
Environmental attitude. However this is not reflected in intention to purchase or actual purchase
behaviour.
Key words: Green buying, environmental attitude, Factor analysis, linear relationship.
Introduction
The issue of environment has grown important over the past few decades, however the critical part of
this issue remains that the rate at which the problems related to environment are increasing is quite
higher than the rate at which the actions are taken to solve these problems. Whether it is government,
population or other organizations all are responding to the furies caused by the nature or human actions
rather than behaving proactively & taking a check at their current actions. The most important part in
this environmentally friendly behavior is to be played by the consumer. Follows & Jobber (1999) in
their study to develop a model to predict environmentally purchase behavior found that there will be a
positive relationship from attitude towards environmental consequences & a negative relationship from
attitude towards individual consequences to environmentally responsible purchase intention. Their
study also indicated that motivation to promote & enhance the welfare of others underlies positive
environmental attitudes. This behavioral intention is further formed by the combination of a positive or
negative attitude towards the behavior, a subjective norm to perform the behavior, and perceived
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control over the behavior. Moreover, the attitude is determined by strengths of beliefs about
consequences of the behavior & evaluations of these consequences (Minton & Rose, 1997). By
imposing informal social sanctions the personal norm is tied to the self concept & is experienced as a
feeling of moral obligation (Schwartz, 1977). It refers to what “I feel morally obligated to do” &
motivates behavior by the desire to act in ways that are consistent with one’s values (Minton & Rose,
1997). Behavioral intention is an indication of an individual's readiness to perform a given behavior. It
is assumed to be an immediate antecedent of behavior (Ajzen, 1991). The strength of behavioral
intention further determines the likelihood of the behavior. Increasing economic activities in
developing countries result in more energy and consumption demand, which generally lead to
environmental degradation. There is a conventional belief that such environmental degradation would
resolve as soon as these countries grow economically since that would enable them to afford
environmental friendly technology as well as pro-environmental regulations and policies. However,
several studies indicated that many developing countries already equipped with environmental
policies, legal frameworks and economic instruments, which are regarded as highly sophisticated by
international standards (Hueber et al, 1998, Fujisaki et al, 1997) and yet face the worsening of
environmental conditions. Major difficulties these countries confront are not only the lack of legal and
economic framework for environmental protection, but also lack of participation among general public
in pro-environmental behavior. From the last three decades there has been gradual increase in public
concern for environmental issues.
The purpose of the study presented in this paper is to develop and test a model that explains the
potential influences of consumer‘s green buying behavior and general pro environmental concerns.
Moreover, there are increasing needs for such public participation due to the recent change in sources
of environmental problems. Today, the sources of pollution have shifted from production to
consumption processes. The Human Development Report of 1998 (UNDP) affirms this trend and states
that growth in consumption and unbalanced consumption patterns are placing unprecedented pressure
on the environment. In this light, the acceptance of pro-environmental behavior by general public, that
is, to adopt sustainable life style, is an urgent issue in protecting environment. Customer-centric
approaches put the customers into the central point of the marketing management processes of
companies. Therefore, the influence of environmental issues on marketing is an area of increasing
significance to industry and commerce.
A socially conscious consumer takes into account the public consequences of his or her private
consumption or who attempts to use his or her purchasing power to bring about social change. That is,
consumers incorporate social issues into their purchase decisions by evaluating the
consequences of their consumption upon society. Consumers who consider the environment to be
important will therefore evaluate the environmental consequences associated with the purchase of a
product. If the environmental consequences are important enough to the consumer, the result may be
the purchase of an environmentally responsible product. These products not only satisfy a consumer's
immediate needs and wants, but also serve to benefit the environment in the long term. The difficulty
with investigating environmentally responsible purchase behavior has been with its measurement.
First, many of the measures are normative in nature and can lead to socially desirable responses
(Roosen and De Pelsmacker, 1997). A scale composed of several statements all worded to represent
positive environmentally responsible actions can produce a halo- effect that encourages respondents to
over-report environmentally responsible behaviors. The result is an inflated level of environmentally
responsible behavior that does not correspond to actual market share data. Second, it is important for
researchers to clearly delineate between environmentally responsible intention and behavior.
Environmentally responsible products in general tend to be viewed as the socially acceptable choice
which can inflate intention relative to actual behavior. Finally, researchers often combine a wide range
of environmental purchase behaviors into a single measure. The scientists and ecologists worldwide
have come up with various ways to reduce the damage caused to the earth by using gases which emit
no pollution and are eco friendly, technological innovations, such as development of alternative fuels,
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to resolve such dilemmas, rather than changing their behavior patterns and lifestyle choices. Though
such remedies and innovations have made remarkable gains in conserving resources and reducing
pollution, many scientists and environmentalists hold that solutions to environmental problems do not
lie in technology alone (Hardin, 1993; Stern, Young, & Druckman, 1992). Consumers must adopt
environmentally sound behaviors, such as reliance on public transportation and recycling of household
wastes and buy products that are environmental friendly in order to sustain the environment. This
paper aims to study variables that predict "green buying" (i.e., buying products that are
environmentally beneficial)-consumers' knowledge and beliefs about environmental products, green
buying habits, general environmental attitudes, and factors that influence environmentally conscious
purchases to find whether people with a pro-environment attitude act in ways consistent with that
attitude. The purpose of this research was to study the effect of environmental beliefs, knowledge,
concern and attitudes on environmental friendly behavioral intentions.
Marketers have reacted to consumers’ growing environmental consciousness by developing
“environmentally friendly” products. However, only a few “green” products have been successful
(Reitman 1991) despite the vast majority of consumers reporting that their purchases were influenced
by environmental concerns (Chase and Smith 1992). Little empirical evidence exists to support that
pro-environmental attitudes and beliefs translate into environmentally conscious behavior such as
green buying and recycling (Hume 1991). It is notable that pro-environmental behaviors differ from
general purchase-related consumer behaviors. Engaging in a general purchase behavior is driven by an
assessment of its benefits and costs that are relevant solely to the individual consumer performing the
behavior. Prior research has identified several key factors motivating environmentally conscious
behavior, including individuals’ concerns about the environment, their beliefs about their ability to
ease the problem (Ellen, Cobb- Walgren 1991), and an overall orientation towards the welfare of
others (Schwartz 1977; Stern, Dietz, and Kalof 1993) or towards their relationship with others
(McCarty and Shrum 2001).
In this backdrop the purpose of this paper is:
To study variables those influence “green- buying”.
To investigate whether environmental attitudes are translated into actual consumer behavior in
relevant situations.
To determine variables those predict environmentally conscious consumerism.
To achieve the objectives the study is divided into following sections: Section I gives the overview
and insights of green buying stating also giving the brief review of existing Literature, Section II gives
description of Data & methodology, Section III gives the analysis and interpretations of the results.
Section IV gives summary and conclusions and references are contained in the last section.
Section II: Data and Methodology
The Data and Data Collection
The study was carried out in the Delhi and NCR Region. The subjects of the study were aged over 18
and were residents of the community in the relevant district. A total of 500 respondents were
approached. However, only 244 questionnaires were received back which contained the complete
necessary information and were thus usable. Respondents were either interviewed or filled in the same
questionnaires online. The questionnaires covered respondents’ socio-demographic and economic
back- ground, their attitudes about, and knowledge of the environment, and self-reported
environmentally responsible consumption practices, confusion about environmental claims, and
intention to purchase green products.
Demographic characteristics of the sample:
In our sample of 244, 63.9% respondents were in the age group of (20 – 30), 26.2% between (30 – 40)
and 9.8% between (40 – 50). 41% respondents were post graduates, 57.4% were graduates and 1.6%
was high school pass outs. 49.2% had annual family income less than 5 lakhs, 41% had annual family
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income between 5 to 11 lakhs, 3.3% had annual income between 11 to 17 lakhs and 6.6% had annual
income between 17 to 22 lakhs. 36.1% respondents are male and 63.9% respondents are females.
49.6% respondents are married and 50.4% are single.
Figure 1: Demographic Characteristics of the population
Survey Instrument
Dependent measure: Actual green buying behaviour of the consumer which measures the extent to
which individual respondents purchase goods and services believed to have a more positive (or less
negative) impact on the environment.
Independent measures: Five key psychographic correlations as shown to be significant in the past are
included in the present study. These include environmental beliefs, environmental knowledge,
environmental habit, environmental concern and pro-environmental attitudes were the main
independent variables.
The purpose of this study is to systematically assess the effects of environmental belief, Ecological
Knowledge, Environmental Concern, Environment attitude, Intention to purchase on green purchase
behaviour and to elucidate the interrelationships among the constructs. In light of the aforementioned
discussion, a model is constructed and Figure 2 presents the proposed model with the hypothesized
structural linkages among the variables.
Figure 2: Model Estimation
+
+
+
+
+ +
+
F
ENVIRONMENTAL
BELIEFS
ENVIRONMENTAL
KNOWLEDGE ENVIRONMENTAL
ATTITUDE
GREEN PURCHASE
INTENTION
ACTUAL GREEN
PURCHASE
BEHAVIOR
ENVIRONMENTAL
CONCERN
ENVIRONMENTAL
HABIT
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Testable Hypothesis
Five hypothesis asserting relationships between major variables were established.
1) H0: People with strong Environmental belief have less knowledge about ecological
issues.
H1: people with strong environmental belief have more knowledge about ecological issues.
2) H0: Consumers with strong Environmental belief have less concerned response towards
ecological issues.
H1: Consumers with strong environmental belief have more concerned response towards
ecological issues.
3) H0: Consumers concerned about the environment do not tend to have pro environmental attitude.
H1: Consumers concerned about the environment tend to have pro environmental attitude.
4) H0: Consumers who tend to have pro environmental attitudes do not show intention to purchase.
H1: Consumers who tend to have pro environmental attitudes show intention to purchase.
5) H0: Consumers with strong intention to purchase are not likely to actually purchase green
products.
H1: Consumers with strong intention to purchase are not likely to actually purchase green
products.
Section III: Analysis and Interpretations of Results
3.1 The Reliability Test of Scales
Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was used to determine the internal consistency reliability of each scale
used in this study. Cronbach's alpha is a measure of internal consistency, that is, how closely related a
set of items are as a group. A "high" value of alpha signifies that the items measure an underlying (or
latent) construct. The results of Cronbach Alpha are shown in table 1
Table 1: Summary of the Alpha Value for Each Scale.
SCALES NO. OF ITEMS α VALUES
Environmental Habits 14 .768
Environmental Belief 6 .801
Environmental Concern 11 .712
Environmental Knowledge 20 .778
Environmental Attitude 12 .689
Green Purchase Intention 11 .803
The results of Cornbach alpha test show that all the variables are significant as the value of each
variable is close to one. The intention to purchase green products has maximum influence on green
buying decisions followed by environmental beliefs, environmental knowledge, environmental habits,
and environmental concern.
3.2: Environmental Beliefs
Consumer environmental beliefs were judged on basis of 6 items. All items were ranked on 5 point
Likert scale. The items included were aimed to understand level of responsibility of the respondents
towards protecting the environment. The items were designed in such a manner so as to enable us in
drawing inferences about environmental beliefs of the respondents. Items Included questions like if we
have responsibility to avoid products that are damaging to the environment, we have responsibility use
products made from recyclable material, is it beneficial to use products that are produced locally, is it
beneficial to buy products from local store, is it beneficial to look for products using less packaging, is
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it beneficial to carry own bag rather than a plastic carrier provided by shop owner. Factor analysis was
done using confirmatory Factor analysis technique on AMOS output results of which are shown below
in Figure 3 and Table 2(A) and 2(B).
Figure 3: Factor analysis using the confirmatory Factor analysis technique. (Environmental
Belief)
Table 2(A): Results of Confirmatory Factor Analysis (Environmental Beliefs)
Name of
the
variable
Enviro
nm
ental B
elief
S.E.
Estimate
Regression
Estimate
Squared
multiple
correlation P
EB5 <--- 1 0.074 0.006
EB1 <--- 6.622 0.648 0.42 0.28
EB2 <--- 9.92 0.923 0.852 0.282
EB3 <--- 2.546 0.243 0.059 0.299
EB4 <--- 1.442 0.09 0.008 0.403
EB6 <--- 5.84 0.476 0.227 0.283
Table 2(B): Results of Confirmatory Factor Analysis (Environmental Beliefs)
Model Fit Statistic
Chi-square 276.88
Comparative Fit Index (CFI) 0.607
Normed Fit Index (NFI) 0.796
RFI 0.745
Root Mean Square Error of
Approximation (RMSEA)
0.025
Interpretation
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The standardized regression weights of each measured variable are shown in the Table 2(A). The
standardized regression weights indicate comparative influence of the construct to its variables. The
high value of the standardized weights indicates the higher influence of the construct to the variable.
The results indicate that the most important Environmental belief is responsibility to use products
made of recyclable material explains more than 92.3% of variation in the construct, followed by
responsibility to avoid purchasing the products that are damaging to the environment and carrying own
bag for purchasing rather than using plastic bag provided by the shop keeper as significant factors in
affecting the Environment Beliefs of consumer.
The squared multiple correlations indicate the percentage of variance of the measured variable that
can be explained with the help of the variations in the construct. The squared multiple correlations of
responsibility to use products made of recyclable material is .852. 85.2% of the variance of this
measure can be explained with the help of this construct. The squared multiple correlation of
responsibility to avoid purchasing the products that are damaging to the environment indicates that 42
percent of the variance of can be explained with the help of variations in Environmental belief
followed by carrying own bag for purchasing rather than using plastic bag provided by the shop keeper
which explains 22.7% variation. Rest all sources are insignificant to explain the variation in the
construct.
The statistics for goodness of fit of the model from AMOS output is shown in Table 2 (B) the results
indicate that the goodness of fit indices (CFI, RFI and NFI) is significantly high. Hence, the model is
fit. The Chi-square value is also presented in the table. The lower value of RMSEA also supports that
the model is fit.
3.3: Environmental Habits
To understand the environmental habits of the respondents, they were tested on basis of 14 items. All
items were ranked on Likert’s 5 point scale. The items included if they turned off lights of unused
room, keep heating or cooling low in the room, use solar power for home and water heating, purchase
energy efficient appliances which use logos like “energy Star”, if possible, walk or ride a bike to the
destination, minimize use of fresh water, wash laundry in cold water than warm or hot water to save
energy, prefer to buy fuel efficient vehicle, turn off tap when soaping or cleaning teeth, compost
garden/kitchen waste, recycle paper, reuse paper, use reusable batteries, repair electrical if not good
rather than buying new ones and donate old clothes to charity. Results of Factor analysis using
confirmatory Factor analysis technique on AMOS are shown below:
Figure 4: Factor analysis was conducted using the confirmatory Factor analysis technique.
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Table 3(A): Results of Confirmatory Factor Analysis (Environmental Habits)
Name of
the
Variable
S.E
Estimate
Regression
Estimates
Squared
Multiple
Correlation P
EH13
EN
VIR
ON
ME
NT
AL
HA
BIT
S
1 0.425 0.181
EH9 <--- 3.183 0.765 0.586 ***
EH8 <--- 0.527 0.242 0.059 0.002
EH5 <--- 0.841 0.295 0.087 ***
EH1 <--- 0.247 0.271 0.073 ***
EH2 <--- 0.226 0.123 0.015 0.098
EH3 <--- 2.145 0.506 0.256 ***
EH4 <--- 1.128 0.521 0.272 ***
EH6 <--- 0.495 0.169 0.029 0.026
EH7 <--- 0.921 0.3 0.09 ***
EH14 <--- 0.277 0.075 0.006 0.301
EH12 <--- 1.026 0.309 0.096 ***
EH11 <--- 1.596 0.561 0.315 ***
EH10 <--- 2.226 0.598 0.357 ***
Table 3(B): Results of Confirmatory Factor Analysis (Environmental Habits)
Model Fit Statistic
Chi-square 278.88
Comparative Fit Index (CFI) 0.607
Normed Fit Index (NFI) 0.796
RFI 0.745
Root Mean Square Error of
Approximation (RMSEA)
0.045
Interpretation
The standardized regression weights of each measured variable are shown in the Table 3(A). The
results in Table 3(A) indicate that the most important Environmental Habit is turning off tap while
soaping or cleaning teeth which explains more than 70% of variation in the construct, followed by
purchasing appliances with logos like Energy Stars, using solar power, recycling or reuse of paper.
The squared multiple correlations of turning off tap as an environmental habit is .315. This indicates
that 31.5 percent of the variance of this measure can be explained with the help of construct. The
squared multiple correlations of energy efficient electronic appliances indicate that 21.5 percent of the
variance can be explained with the help of variations in environmental habit.
The statistics for goodness of fit of the model from AMOS output is shown in Table 3(B) the results
indicate that the goodness of fit indices (CFI, RFI and NFI) is significantly high. Hence, the model is
fit. The Chi-square value is also presented in the table. The lower value of RMSEA also supports that
the model is fit.
3.4: Environmental Concerns
To understand the level of participation of the respondents in pro environmental activities
environmental concern was tested on basis of 11 items. The responses were measured on a 5 Point
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Likert Scale. The items were as follows: Participation in waste recycling if provided by respondent’s
community/society, public means of transport for travelling to and fro to office, Participation in rain
water harvesting, Participation in planting trees, reforestation and protecting public parks and the like.
The results were as follows:
Figure 5: Factor analysis was conducted using the confirmatory Factor analysis technique.
Table 4(A): Results of Confirmatory Factor Analysis (Environmental Concern)
Name
of the
Variable
EN
VIR
ON
ME
NT
AL
CO
NC
ER
N
S.E.
Estimate
Standardised
Regression
Weights
Squared
Multiple
Correlation P
EC9 <---
0.626 0.392
EC10 <--- 0.233 0.727 0.528 ***
EC1 <--- 0.156 -0.272 0.074 ***
EC2 <--- 0.143 0.048 0.002
0.49
5
EC3 <--- 0.172 0.231 0.053
0.00
1
EC4 <--- 0.15 0.505 0.255 ***
EC5 <--- 0.162 0.523 0.274 ***
EC6 <--- 0.23 0.764 0.584 ***
EC7 <--- 0.149 0.605 0.366 ***
EC8 <--- 0.132 0.562 0.316 ***
EC11 <--- 0.128 0.08 0.006
0.25
3
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Table 4(B): Results of Confirmatory Factor Analysis (Environmental Concern)
Model Fit Statistic
Chi-square 289.77
Comparative Fit Index (CFI) 0.486
Normed Fit Index (NFI) 0.47
RFI 0.496
Root Mean Square Error of
Approximation (RMSEA)
0.029
The standardized regression weights of each measured variable are shown in the table 3.4(A). The
results indicate that the most important way of showing concern towards environment is by converting
waste into energy which explains 76.4% of variation in the construct followed by communicating with
local government about environment issues like pollution of vehicles, noise pollution, waste
management and protecting eco system directly and indirectly which explains 72.7% of variation in
the construct.
The squared multiple correlations indicate the percentage of variance of the measured variable that can
be explained with the help of the variations in the construct. The squared multiple correlation of
converting waste into energy is .584 followed by communicating with local agencies is .528.
The statistics for goodness of fit of the model from AMOS output is shown in Table 4 (B) the results
indicate that the goodness of fit indices (CFI, RFI and NFI) is significantly high. Hence, the model is
fit. The Chi-square value is also presented in the table. The lower value of RMSEA also supports that
the model is fit.
3.5: Knowledge about Environment Issues
Consumer’s knowledge about environment issues was judged on the basis of 11 multiple answer
questions and 9 close ended items with Yes / No options. The questions related to causes of water
pollution, soil pollution, smog, Global warming, depletion of natural resources, loss of species, air
pollution, depletion of ozone layer and the like. One way ANOVA was used to analyse if there is
significant difference in Environment Knowledge between males and females.
3.6: Environmental Attitude
Environmental Attitude was measured on bases of New Environmental Paradigm consisting 12 items.
Attitudinal variables included general pro-ecological attitudes, personal motives of frugality and
participation in community programmes, belief in the effectiveness of recycling, support of
government regulations to protect the environment. The items were like: balance of nature is very
delicate and easily upset, Humans have the right to modify the natural environment, Human kind was
created to rule over the rest of nature, when humans interfere with nature it often produces disastrous
consequences, Plants and animals exist primarily to be used by humans. We have responsibility to use
products which are made from recyclable material; we are approaching the limit of the number of
people the earth can support. When I have a choice between 2 equal products I purchase the one less
harmful to other people and the environment. Variables used in this study were measured on a
frequency scale of agree, undecided and disagree. Aspects like consideration for specific product
characteristics which are environmentally friendly before purchase (e.g. energy saving; recyclable) and
respondent’s practices related to recycling and conservation were also included.
3.7 Gender Differences and Green Purchase Behavior
For the statistical analysis of the questionnaires, SPSS 19.0 was selected because of its ability to
extensively analyse quantitative data. A one-way multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was
performed to investigate gender differences in green purchase behaviour. Three dependent variables
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were used: environmental knowledge, environmental concern and environmental attitudes towards
green purchase. The fixed variable was gender. There was a statistically significant difference between
men and women on the combined dependent variables: [F (18, 225) = 5.398, P< 0.05; Wilks’ Lambda
= 0.698]. Men reported higher levels of Environment Knowledge, environment concern and attitude to
Green Purchase. The results of MANOVA are shown in Table 5 below:
Table 5: The Multivariate Tests Conducted On The Combined Dependent Variables.
Table 6 Tests of Between-Subjects Effects
Source
Dependent
Variable
Type III Sum
of Squares Df Mean Square F Sig.
Model EC* 3145.277a 2 1572.639 1693.548 0
EA** 3811.012b 2 1905.506 2.71E+04 0
EK*** 198.368c 2 99.184 1109.601 0
GENDER EC 3145.277 2 1572.639 1693.548 0
EA 3811.012 2 1905.506 2.71E+04 0
EK 198.368 2 99.184 1109.601 0
Error EC 224.723 242 0.929
EA 16.988 242 0.07
EK 21.632 242 0.089
Total EC 3370 244
EA 3828 244
EK 220 244
a. R Squared = .933 (Adjusted R Squared = .933)
b. R Squared = .996 (Adjusted R Squared = .996)
c. R Squared = .902 (Adjusted R Squared = .901)
*EC=Environmental Concern
**EA=Environmental attitude
***EK = Environmental Knowledge
Table 7: Mean Scores
Descriptive Statistics
GENDER Mean Std. Deviation N
EC Male 3.64 0.776 88
Female 1.56 1.055 156
Total 2.59 0.962 244
EA Male 4.82 0.388 88
Female 3.03 0.159 156
Total 3.95 0.283 244
EK Male 0.91 0.289 88
Female 0.6 0.304 156
Total 0.85 0.298 244
An inspection of the estimated marginal means shown in Table 7 indicated that men reported higher
levels of environmental knowledge, concern and attitudes towards green purchase than women. Bray
and Maxwell (1982) suggest that if a significant MANOVA effect is detected, the follow-up test is to
Multivariate Tests
Effect Value F Hypothesis df Error df Sig.
GENDER Pillai's Trace .302 5.398a 18.000 225.000 .000
Wilks' Lambda .698 5.398a 18.000 225.000 .000
Hotelling's Trace .432 5.398a 18.000 225.000 .000
Roy's Largest Root .432 5.398a 18.000 225.000 .000
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perform Univariate ANOVA for each dependent variable. To test whether the difference between the
mean score of environmental knowledge in men (.91) and women (.60) is statistically significant, one-
way ANOVA was used. The results (D.F. 1, P < 0.05) suggest that there is a significant difference
between men and women in overall environmental knowledge. This result implies that men are
generally more knowledgeable in environmental issues than women. This result provides strong
support for the first hypothesis. The result also corroborates the results of previous research conducted
in the West. For example, Arcury and Johnson (1987) found that the degree of environmental
knowledge was dependent on gender: men gave correct answers to the knowledge questions more
often than women. Table 3.7 shows also that men reported higher levels of environmental concern. To
test whether the difference between the mean score of concern in men (3.64) and women (1.56) is
statistically significant, one-way ANOVA was used. The results (D.F. 1, 225 = 276.229, P < 0.05)
suggest that there is a significant difference between men and women in overall environmental
concern.
This result implies that men are generally more concerned about environmental issues than women.
This result fails to support the second hypothesis. This result also contradicts previous research
conducted in the West (e.g. Davidson and Freudenburg, 1996). However, it should be noted that
whether women are, in reality, more concerned about the environment than men has not been
determined conclusively by empirical studies (Momsen, 2000). It appears that more analyses and
explanations are needed in this area. Finally, Table 7 indicates that men reported more positive
attitudes towards green purchase. To test whether the difference between the mean score of green
purchase attitudes in men (4.82) and women (3.03) is statistically significant, one-way ANOVA was
used. The results (D.F. 1, 225 = 359.388, P < 0.05) suggest that there is a significant difference
between men and women in overall green purchase attitudes. This result implies that men have
generally more positive attitudes towards green purchase than women. This result fails to support the
third hypothesis. It is also at odds with previous research conducted in the West (e.g. Tikka et al.,
2000). However, in a Canadian study Eagles and Muffitt (1990) found no environmental attitude
differences between the genders.
3.8: Intention to Buy Green Products
Consumer’s intention to buy green products was judged on the basis of 11 questions like if they would
like to buy less polluting products or switch to different brands because of ecological reasons or switch
to a green version of the product. Their opinion was taken on a 5 point likert scale.
Figure 6: Factor analysis was conducted using the confirmatory Factor analysis technique.
(Intention to Purchase)
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Table 8 (A): Results of Confirmatory Factor Analysis (Intention to Purchase)
Name
of the
Variable Estimate
Regression
Estimate
Squared
Multiple
Correlations P
ITP9 <---
INT
EN
TIO
N T
O P
UR
CH
AS
E
1
ITP8 <--- 0.569 0.265 0.145 0.032
ITP7 <--- 2.379 0.582 0.709 ***
ITP1 <--- 1.158 0.338 0.343 ***
ITP2 <--- 2.26 0.592 0.688 ***
ITP3 <--- 1.644 0.402 0.408 ***
ITP4 <--- 0.314 0.303 0.036 0.3
ITP5 <--- 1.93 0.496 0.395 ***
ITP6 <--- 1.958 0.498 0.334 ***
ITP11 <--- 1.581 0.433 0.353 ***
ITP10 <--- 1.538 0.405 0.38 ***
Table 8 (B): Results of Confirmatory Factor Analysis (Intention to Purchase)
Model Fit Statistic
Chi-square 256.78
Comparative Fit Index (CFI) 0.607
Normed Fit Index (NFI) 0.796
RFI 0.745
Root Mean Square Error of
Approximation (RMSEA)
0.225
www.theinternationaljournal.org > RJCBS: Volume: 02, Number: 01, November-2012 Page 33
Interpretation
The standardized regression weights of variables as shown in the Table 8(A) show that purchase of
goods packed in reusable containers explains more than 55% of variation in the construct, followed by
making special effort to buy environment friendly household chemicals and detergents as significant
factors in consumers intention to purchase Green Products.
The squared multiple correlations indicate the percentage of variance of the measured variable that
can be explained with the help of the variations in the construct. As shown in the Table 8(B), the
squared multiple correlations of intention to purchase products in reusable containers is .688. 68.8% of
the variance of this measure can be explained with the help of sources of information construct. The
squared multiple correlation of making special effort to buy environmental friendly detergents is .709.
Rest all sources are insignificant to explain the variation in the construct.
The statistics for goodness of fit of the model from AMOS output is shown in table 3.8 (B) the results
indicate that the goodness of fit indices (CFI, RFI and NFI) is significantly high. Hence, the model is
fit. The Chi-square value is also presented in the table. The lower value of RMSEA also supports that
the model is fit.
Table 9: Testing of Hypothesis Using Chi-Square Analysis
Testable Hypothesis Chi
Square
Value
P Value Accept/Reject
1 H0: People with strong Environmental belief have
less knowledge about ecological issues.
H1: people with strong environmental belief have
more knowledge about ecological issues
292 .03 Accept
Alternate
Hypothesis
2 H0: Consumers with strong Environmental belief
have less concerned response towards ecological
issues.
H1: Consumers with strong environmental belief
have more concerned response towards ecological
issues.
290 .02 Accept
Alternate
Hypothesis
3 H0: Consumers concerned about the environment
do not tend to have pro environmental attitude.
H1: Consumers concerned about the environment
tend to have pro environmental attitude.
288 .003 Accept
Alternate
Hypothesis
4 H0: Consumers who tend to have pro
environmental attitudes do not show intention to
purchase.
H1: Consumers who tend to have pro
environmental attitudes show intention to
purchase.
280 .002 Accept
Alternate
Hypothesis
5 H0: Consumers with strong intention to purchase
are not likely to actually purchase green products.
H1: Consumers with strong intention to purchase
are likely to actually purchase green products
27.22 1.8 Accept Null
Hypothesis
The results of Chi Square analysis indicate that consumers with strong environmental beliefs have
Knowledge on Environmental issues, have concern for environment have environment friendly Habits
and have pro environment attitude but this is not reflected in their buying behaviour. On the basis of
the above analysis, some suggestions have been recommended in the subsequent section.
Section IV: Suggestions and Conclusion
4.1 Suggestions
4.1.1 Reduce the Attitude –Behavior Gap
There is a gap between articulated positive attitudes toward sustainability and people’s actual (mostly
unsustainable) consumption behavior. Although consumers say they are willing to buy “green”
www.theinternationaljournal.org > RJCBS: Volume: 02, Number: 01, November-2012 Page 34
products, only a few do so (Ehrich and Irwin, 2005). If left unaddressed, this gap will continue to
frustrate producers of sustainable product alternatives who rely on traditional, attitudinal market
research methods, only to find that actual demand often falls far short of their initial projections. This
limits the availability of sustainable product alternatives and thus limits movement toward more
sustainable consumption.
4.1.2 A Focus on Reducing Consumption
While prior research has attempted to identify and characterize the “green consumer,” less attention
has been paid to understanding the behaviors of people who focus on reducing their overall
consumption. While some choose reduced consumption because of a desire to “buy time” and to
improve their quality of life, others do so because of values such as concerns about the environmental
and social consequences of consumption (Shaw and Newholm 2002). At the extreme, some consumers
actively reject consumption, a phenomenon referred to as “anti -consumption” (Zavestoski 2002).
4.1.3 Consideration of the Full Consumption Cycle
More research is needed to better understand consumer’s full consumption cycle—not just initial
choice. Consumers’ post choice behaviors, including product usage, product life extension, and
disposal, all have a significant impact on the sustainability of consumption (Pieters 1991). For
example, how and how often consumers use products can determine the consumption of related goods
(e.g., fuel, accessories). How consumers maintain products has an impact on product life and,
therefore, product replacement. Decisions about when and how to dispose of a product, when disposal
can lead to alternate usage or another person’s use, also directly influence the sustainability of
consumption (Mannetti, Pierro, and Livi 2004; Ölander and Thøgersen 2006).
4.1.4 Expanding the Scope of Consumption Research
Researchers must also strive to expand the scope of their research. The majority of consumer behavior
researchers have focused on the consumption of packaged goods and other relatively low-involvement
products. A concerted push is needed for additional research on the consumption of major purchases,
such as automobiles, appliances, and housing—all of which have significant implications for
sustainability (Marell, Gärling, and Laitila 2009). For example, the purchase of a home has significant
implications both directly (e.g., energy use) and indirectly (e.g., commuting distance).
4.1.5 The Marketization of Politics and the Citizen–Consumer
Marketers and consumer researchers are not alone in framing people as consumers. Increasingly,
governments, media, and even environmental nongovernmental organizations address people as
consumers rather than citizens (Slocum 2004; Trentmann 2007). This “marketization” of politics has
led to the construction of the citizen–consumer in sociology and political science (e.g., Martens and
Spaargaren 2005; Soper 2007). The increasing marketization of politics influences people’s inclination
to assume responsibility for detrimental environmental impacts of their consumer behavior.
4.2 Conclusion
From environmental perspective, there is a need for public policies and establishing marketing and
business systems that encourage organizations and people to produce and consume within ecological
limits. This paper addressed opportunities for moving toward an era of green consumption. The focus
was on the value, belief, concern, attitudes and intention as main components of actual green buying
behavior and on how these components interrelate. To test this, we framed 5 hypotheses. These
hypotheses were tested using Confirmatory Factor Analysis. The results suggest that environmental
beliefs have direct effects on Environmental Concern, Environmental Habits and Environmental
Knowledge, the latter in turn influence Pro Environmental Attitudes and help in predicting green
buying behavior. To find the impact of gender differences on Environmental Knowledge, Concern and
attitude, Manova and Univariate ANOVA were performed for each dependent variable. The results
suggested that there are significant differences between men and women in overall Environmental
Knowledge, Concern and Attitude. Men reported higher levels of Knowledge on Environment issues
are more concerned about environment and have more positive attitude towards Green Purchase.
www.theinternationaljournal.org > RJCBS: Volume: 02, Number: 01, November-2012 Page 35
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