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Antecedents of Green Purchasing Behavior among Malaysian Consumers
Punitha SinnappanandAzmawani Abd Rahman
Abstract: The purpose of this study is to examine the factors that influence green purchasing behaviors
consumers and observes if the factors affecting green purchasing behavior differ by demographic profile. Respo
study were consumers from various age groups, education level, ethnic group, type of occupation and income leve
shows that the best predictor for green purchasing behavior is environmental attitude followed by perceived e
responsibility; environmental concern, perceived seriousness of environmental problems, perceived effe
environmental behavior and governments role. While for demographic variables, only age group is significant
the environmental factors. The result of the research can serve as a guideline for firms to strategize their marketin
that caused buying behavior while analyzing the demographic characteristics would give firms better knowl
targeting these groups of people. This study also offers practical guidelines to marketers who are planning
Malaysian market. The understanding on the changing consumption pattern of Malaysian consumers and
attachment, they gave to the environment provides useful insights that are especially pertinent to an improved undgreen purchasing behavior in the South East Asia context.
INTRODUCTION
The consumers spending pattern has been growing over the past decades. The manufacturing, processing and co
goods involve the usage and damage of natural resources such as air, timber, fossil fuels ore and water. High con
exploitation of the nature have caused environmental deterioration. The more things people purchase, the
contribution to the environment. The use of goods themselves creates toxic waste which becomes the pollutant to
environmental problems have sources, several effects and the most prominently, a resolution. Therefore, the
environmental problems and the respond to these issues without delay is absolute necessary.
Malaysia is one of the earliest countries in the world that have taken a serious consideration regarding the en
enacting the Environment Quality Act way back in 1974. Besides enacting acts about environmental protection, th
has also formed the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water, recently in order to cater the rising need an
of green technology towards sustainable advancement. The ministry has enacted the National Green Technolog
after the formation of the ministry (Malaysia Green Forum, 2010). The government has taken a holistic appro
known with the acronyms of AFFIRM for the sustainability of the environments. AFFIRM stands for Awaren
Finance, Infrastructure, Research, development and commercialization and Marketing. This acronym is mainl
obtain commitment from all stakeholders in committing towards the environmental protection in Malaysia (M
Forum, 2010).
The consumers preferences are changing over time. Although, people now-a-days are more aware of the environ
some might have unpleasant perception towards environmentally friendly goods and less readiness to pay more for
products. Firms need to be responsive to this socio-demographic change in order to remain competitive in the mar
important challenge that marketers are facing now is thorough understanding on consumers behavior reg
marketing and green purchasing.
While the demand is increasing, there have been very few studies conducted on green purchasing behavior ( Tan
2003;Soonthonsmai, 2007;Lee, 2008; Cheah, 2009). Apart from this, the result varies either due to different coun
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as the origin or different samples were used. Together, the green marketing studies in Asian countries are r
compare to Western countries (Lee, 2008). Thus, it is important to perform a study in the context of Asian co
Malaysia to understand their green purchasing behavior. Studies performed by Cheah (2009) andChen and Chai
an increased demand for green products in the Malaysian market. Their studies has offered understanding on gree
behavior however, limited to only a few determinants influencing consumers towards positive green purchasing
fact, their studies which focused on young consumers have caused a query regarding other age groups perceptio
towards green products.
Generally, consumers who are aware of the environmental issues tend to have a positive attitude towards gree
However, a variety of factors typically can influence them. A number of individual drives and external factors
determinants of such behavior. Therefore, this study is conducted to narrow the gap by studying the factors that in
purchasing behaviors of Malaysian consumers and the weight of these factors. Together, it is important to study
affecting green purchasing behavior differ by demographic profile.
Literature
Green consumerism and green marketing: A green consumer is defined as consumers who are conscious of a
in ecological issues (Soonthonsmai, 2007). They consider that all products and services have environmental im
initiative is to reduce them to the minimum. Consumer purchases green products when their prime requiremen
performance and easiness were achieved and when they realized how a green product could facilitate to answer e
tribulations. The knowledge gap or skepticism towards the usage of green products would stop consumers
themselves to any buying decisions. Poor description about green claims would always put the green consumers in
this will lead to switching to better green products.
According toRenner (2002) consumers are requesting for more reliable information about the society and ecolog
the goods that they are purchasing besides the information that the product is environmentally friendly. Compan
improving indicates that they are revising their policies and updating themselves with regards to the current e
issues and fulfilling the changing needs of green consumers.
Green marketing is the practices of advertising products or services by referring on their ecological advantag
defined as the actions taken by firms that are concern about the environment or green problems by p
environmentally sound goods or services to build consumers and societys satisfaction (Soonthonsmai, 2007).
defined traditional marketing as a mental position an attitude a way of conceiving the exchange relationship b
entity offering their products to the market. Where else, green marketing was defined as the way to concei
relationships that goes beyond the current needs of the consumers, considering at the same time the social interest
the natural environment (Chamorro and Banegil, 2005). According to them, green marketing involves three play
consumers and the environment.
Antecedents of green purchasing behavior: Factors influencing green purchasing behavior have been carried
in a develop countries. However, dominant factor that affect the green purchasing behavior in one country might b
another due to the differences in cultural and socio-economic conditions of each countries. In fact, varia
antecedents of green purchasing behavior are vary from one study to another. From the review of the literature, th
identified and tested eight antecedents of green purchasing behavior, namely; social influence, environmen
environmental concern, perceived seriousness of environmental problems, perceived effectiveness of environme
perceived environmental responsibility, concern for self-image in environmental protection and the governments r
Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA): TRA was established by Fishbein and Ajzen (1975)is used to argue tha
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attitudes and subjective norm towards environmental issues can influence their behavior and action towards gree
This theory includes consumers attitudes how these attitudes are formed and how other people could influence th
This theory is also being used by many researchers from different fields in order to analyze humans behavior
marketing researches, TRA is used to explore purchasing intention or behavior of consumers (Mostafa, 2007;
The research framework is as follows (Fig. 1). The eight identified antecedents towards green purchasing are t
eight hypotheses.
Social influence: The social dynamic in which individual associate with other people by presenting simila
identified as homophily (Ryan, 2001).
Fig. 1: Research framework
In different words, it can be known as situations that an individual shares the same values, thoughts and beliefs
that they are communicating with. In a study done by Chen-Yu and Seock (2002), they had found that conformity
important factor for purchasing certain clothing among adolescents. The same result was obtained by Lee (2008)
peer influence was the most important factor for Hong Kongs adolescents green purchasing behavior compare to
Thus, the hypothesis that is developed for this variable is as follow:
H1 : There is a significant relationship between social influence and green purchasing behavior in Malaysia
Environmental attitude: Lee (2008) stated that environmental attitude refers to the individuals value judgment a
individuals cognitive assessment of the value of environmental protection. Some studies have identified a positiv
between environmental attitude and environmental behavior (Kotchen and Reiling, 2000). To date, a stu
by Mostafa (2007) among Egyptian consumers and he has found that consumers attitude towards green purchase
their green purchase intention and directly affects their actual green purchase behavior. Referring to this, it can be
H2 : There is a significant relationship between environmental attitude and green purchasing behavior in Malaysi
Environmental concern: Environmental concern can be known as affective traits that can signify an individ
consideration, likings and dislikes about the environment (Yeung, 2004). Few studies were done on environm
(Barret al., 2003; Milfont and Duckitt, 2004). Mostafa (2007) has indicated in his study that environmental conc
an essential factor for marketers as they can easily target environmentally conscious consumers. High level of e
concern is expected due to the health issues (Said et al., 2003). Meanwhile, young consumer in Hong Kong
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environmental concern is the 2nd top predictor of green purchasing behavior (Lee, 2008). By referencing the exist
on environmental concern, it is hypothesized that:
H3 : There is a significant relationship between environmental concern and green purchasing behavior in Malaysi
Perceived seriousness of environmental problems: People in Asian countries rate environmental problems as
than those who reside in Western countries (Lee, 2009). It is also believed that media plays a major role in
seriousness of environmental problems to consumers (Moser and Uzzell, 2003). Lee (2008) found that teenagers
seriousness of environmental problems as the least important factor in influencing the green purchasing behavio
behind this was known due to desensitization in which adolescents respond negatively to repetitive exposures.
result might be different in different context of study. Thus, the hypothesis for this variable is defined as:
H4 : There is a significant relationship between perceived seriousness of environmental problems and green purch
behavior in Malaysia
Perceived environmental responsibility: Lai (2000) has reported that citizens in Hong Kong have at
environmental knowledge and thus they are really aware of the environmental problems. However, th
environmental responsibilities were generally weak. Lai (2000) has also identified that the consumers are looki
policies to solve the environmental problem and yet they are reluctant to get themselves engaged with th
Additionally, the study done byLee (2008) among Hong Kongs young consumers revealed that the perceived e
responsibility factor was found to be the fourth important predictor of green purchasing behavior. Thus, this st
that:
H5 : There is a significant relationship between perceived environmental responsibility and green purchasing beh
Malaysia
Perceived effectiveness of environmental behavior: Perceived effectiveness of environmental behavior is
persons perception that if each individuals involves himself in pro-environmental behaviors, he would contribut
environment. This perception might be true and this factor was the fifth predictor of green purchasing behavior
consumers in Hong Kong (Lee, 2008). Lee (2008) further stressed the perception that ones action could make a
another important factor in influencing adolescent consumers decision to buy green products or not. By this, the
derived as:
H6 : There is a significant relationship between perceived effectiveness of environmental behavior and green purc
behavior in Malaysia
Concern for self-image in environmental protection: In studies about adolescence, identity formation is fo
most important factor (Sharp et al., 2007). Waterman (2004) found that individuals are likely to engage in activitie
their actual identities. This is related to the studies done by Mannetti et al. (2004) in which a persons s
environmentally responsible has significant relationship with the intentions to engage in recycling. Together, the
image in environmental protection was also found as the influencer of green purchasing intention among adolesc
2009). Lee (2008) also found that this factor was the third predictor of green purchasing behavior among the Hong
consumers. Thus, it is posited that:
H7 : There is a significant relationship between concern for self-image in environmental protection and green pur
behavior in Malaysia
Governments role: A lot of people believe that protecting the environment is the responsibility of the gove
though when they have portrayed high environmental concern (Tsen et al., 2006). Ministry of the Environme
reported that the government is playing a major role in endorsing green purchasing in Japan and thus, increases tand consumption of environmentally friendly products. In contrast to Taiwan, even though there was a strong sup
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government for green marketing, the consumption of green products has decreased due to poor quality (Lee
Malaysian government has taken serious action towards environmental sustainability through various p
establishments. Contrasting results between Japan and Korea with regards to government role towards green pur
it necessary to investigate this issue within the context of Malaysian consumers. Therefore, it is hypothesized that:
H8 : There is a significant relationship between governments role and green purchasing in Malaysia
Demographic profile: The identification of demographic variables on consumer behavior would be helpful for
perform segmentation or targeting their consumers. Soonthonsmai noted that consumers green purchase intention
correlation with different age and income group but education was found does not influence the intention to p
products. Studies done by Ottman et al. (2006) found that younger generations accept new or innovative ideas b
to older people. Result from several studies have revealed that male and female have significant dissimilarity in e
attitude in which female showed more positive attitude compared to the males ( Tikka et al., 2000; Zelezny et al., 2
al., 2005; Lee, 2009). However, this is contradict to a study done recently by Chen and Chai (2010) who foun
significant differences among males and females in environmental attitude or green purchasing behavior. Th
indicated that demographic variables have less explanatory power compare to psychographic variables. How
by Chen and Chai (2010)only focused on undergraduates students. Working adults with dissimilar gender could b
terms of green purchasing behavior. Therefore, demographic variables such as gender, age, ethnic group, ed
occupation and income level will be considered in this study. Thus, the hypotheses are derived as:
H9a : Attitudes towards antecedents of green purchasing behavior vary by gender
H9b : Attitudes towards antecedents of green purchasing behavior vary by age
H9c : Attitudes towards antecedents of green purchasing behavior vary by ethnic group
H9d : Attitudes towards antecedents of green purchasing behavior vary by education level
H9e : Attitudes towards antecedents of green purchasing behavior vary by occupation
H9f : Attitudes towards antecedents of green purchasing behavior vary income level
Table 1: Summary of questionnaire
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Research instrument: The sampling design that is used in this study is non-probability sampling where the ele
have a known or predetermined chance of being selected as subjects (Sekaran, 2003). The questionnaires that
structured close-ended questions and they were distributed within Peninsular Malaysia. This questionnaire is
questions for each variable and it is divided into two parts: part A and B. Part A contains statements relating to a
consumers green purchasing behavior. The items were adopted and modified from studies done by Lee (2008)
Chai (2010). Five point likert scale ranging from 1 strongly disagree to 5 strongly agree were used. Table 1 sho
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variables and total items used for each variable. Meanwhile, part B requests the respondents to provide some
themselves. This generally covers the demographic profile of the respondents such as gender, age, ethnic gro
level, occupation and income level.
Data collection: The method of data collection that was practiced in this study was personally administered quest
the end of data collection period, a total of 204 usable questionnaires were used for data analysis.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Reliability analysis:Table 2 shows the groupings of items for the variables and its reliability score. The reliabilit
used to explain the nine variables are all above the minimum recommended threshold of 0.6 and thus, no items w
improve the internal consistency.
Bivariate pearson correlation analysis: This analysis (Table 3) is
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Note: refers to items that are reverse coded
Table 3: Pearson correlation analysis among variables
*Significant at p
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the green purchasing behavior. The result obtained shows some differences when compared to previous studies.
Table 4: Model summary and ANOVA
Table 5: Regression coefficients
Table 6: ANOVA measuring the effect of age on the
factors affecting green purchasing behavior
Table 7: Descriptive of ANOVA measuring the effect of
age on the factors affecting green purchasing
behaviour
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AG = Age Group; N; M = Mean; EA = Environmental
Attitude; EC = Environmental Concern; PSEP = Perceived
Seriousness of Environmental Problems; PER = Perceived
Environmental Responsibility; PEEB = Perceived
Effectiveness of Environmental Behavior; GR =
Governments Role
This is possibly due to the different sample used as most of previous studies (Lee, 2008;Cheah, 2009; Chen an
which only focused on adolescents. Among the eight independent variables suggested in this study, environmenta
found to be the top predictor of green purchasing behavior (r = 0.955).
Referring to Lee (2008), this variable was only ranked as second last predictor as she believes that adolescents
emotional attachments compared to rational attachments. However, the result of this study is in line withPeatti
acknowledged the need and the importance of rational or attachment towards green marketing. Environmental att
the consumers value finding and how it taps their cognitive assessment of the value of environmental protection
Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) has also pointed out that an individual will always behave in foundation to his
Perceived environmental responsibility is the second top predictor of green purchasing behavior (r = 0.913). This s
consumers in Malaysia are aware of their responsibility in protecting the environment for healthy living.
individuals own perceived responsibility, it is impossible to create positive green purchasing behavior. The coll
of consumers consumption pattern which increases the damage to the environments creates a sense of responsi
them. At the same time, consumers also believe that the responsibility should not be portrayed only by the citizen
responsibility of everyone in which it highly includes companies that produces goods. This creates a
environmentally friendly products. The 3rd top predictor of green purchasing behavior is environmental concer
This result is consistent with Lee (2008)who found environmental concern as the second top predictor of gree
behavior. Concern can be highly related to worries and consideration (Yeung, 2004). Consumers who relative
concern on the environment often consider on how the quality of the environment can be improved and they wo
engage themselves in buying environmentally friendly products. This is mainly because they would know the r
environmental issues such as pollution and how it can be resolved easily. Thus, behavioral practices related to env
be achieved if the individual believes the countrys environmental quality is his main concern.
Among the remaining factors, perceived seriousness of environmental problems is the 4th predictor of gree
behavior (r = 0.725). This factor showed a positive correlation with green purchasing behavior and this impl
individual perceive, the environmental problems to be very serious they would highly engage in purchasing gr
This result is contradict toLee (2008) who found negative relationship and believes that it is due to desensitizat
depressing visuals on the environmental problems would create high ignorance among adolescents in Hong Ko
this study reveals that consumers in Malaysia would really take severe action if it involves their health. Thus,
technique of highlighting the seriousness of the countrys environmental problems would create a positive behavi
Malaysian consumers. The 5th predictor that explain the green purchasing behavior is perceived effectiveness of e
behavior (r = 0.293). This is related to a persons perception that if each individuals involves himself in pro-e
behaviors he would contribute a lot to the environment. As known, an individuals consumption pattern is highl
with the production of waste materials. Thus, those who believe that they can provide significant difference by
environmental protection they would purchase green products to reduce the amount of waste. Consumers beliethan assuming the environmental protection is an individuals attempt, it would be better if it is known as collectiv
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Lastly, governments role is another predictor of green purchasing behavior (r = 0.212). Besides individuals res
protecting the environment, consumers believe that the government also plays an important role in building gree
behavior among its people. This result is similar toTsen et al. (2006) who suggested that although the consum
environmental concern but they still consider that government plays a major role. Government can ban prod
hazardous to the environment and also to the health of the public. Enforcing rules and regulation will also prom
concentration by companies on production of green products. At the same time, campaigns and environmental e
are given to the public would enhance their green purchasing behavior.
Contradict to studies by Lee (2008),Cheah (2009) andWahid et al. (2011), social influence in this study was
insignificant towards green purchasing behavior. This is mainly because of the sample frame used by them. Adole
to give much importance on social marketing in influencing their peers to purchase products that are environmen
(Cheah, 2009). As different age groups have been included in this study, it seems to be irrelevant as adult
influenced by friends easily compare to the younger generations. The same result was obtained for concern f
variable as it is insignificant towards green purchasing behavior. Adolescence seems to perceive self-image as
criterion when they make a purchase and they are highly involved in identity-and-approval-seeking (Lee, 2008).
In contrast, adults are more focused in decision making that involves rationality and cognition (Peattie, 2001). Th
be said that this factor seems sensitive to age groups in predicting consumers green purchasing behavior. Age gro
show a significant relationship with antecedent of green purchasing behavior. Younger generations who are the
have stronger perceptions on the environmental factors compared to the adults. Other demographic variables su
ethnic group, education level, occupation and income level did not show any relationship towards the factors that
green purchasing behavior. This implies that irrespective to these demographic variables, everyone has equa
towards the environmental factors.
Implications of the study: Marketers, basically are facing a lot of challenges in convincing the consumers towar
the green products. In order to be successful in this, it involves an understanding of the route that shifts the e
factors to green purchasing behavior. By getting themselves prepared on this, marketers would be able to crea
marketing strategies. At the same time, those manufacturers and producers can also get benefits out of the result ob
study.
Understanding that environmental attitude is the main predictor, closing the gap would lead towards higher
consume green products. According to Baker and Ozaki (2008), consumers have highly engaged in recycling of w
such as bottles and studys as they are consistently provided with information about recycling and its benefits. This
information is highly important to change the attitude of consumers towards green purchasing behavior.Schiffma
(2010) stated that consumers basically have a strong need to know and enthusiasm about things that they encount
also indicated that fulfilling the need to know interest would develop the consumers attitude towards the produ
knowledge function can be known as one of the best strategy to change the attitude of consumers towards a fa
purchasing behavior.
As the consumers are well educated and informed about the importance of preserving the environment,
responsibility need to be incorporated in the marketing efforts of the company.Lee (2008) has given a suggestion
message such as each of us is responsible to save our earth. By doing this, the marketers can create a feel of high
among consumers towards the message and further increases the intention of personal contribution and importanc
in particular purchase decision.
At the same time, environmental concern which is highly known as emotional appeals or affective componenintegrated in the marketing efforts to increase the consumers sense of responsibility and involvement in buyin
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environmentally friendly products.
Fig. 2: A simple representation of Tricomponent attitude model
Schiffman and Kanuk (2010)have mentioned that emotional cues are important in enhancing positive or negativ
that would later affect what comes to the mind of the individual and how the individual acts. Referring to the ab
marketing efforts and messages that need to be conveyed to consumers can be best explained using the Tricomp
model. The marketer should include both cognitive (rational) and affective (emotional) cues in their m
combination of these two cues would increase the likelihood that the consumers will have favorable intention t
purchases and this reflects the conative component of the model.Figure 2shows the Tricomponent attitude model.
Looking at the next predictor, perceived seriousness of environmental problems would also induce green purchas
This allows the marketers to identify the current environmental problems that need to be dealt urgently and pro
that could somewhat reduce the problem. This involves product development based on current environmenta
simple example can be used to further explain this suggestion. The usage of polystyrenes in food packaging
seriously, affecting the country as it is not biodegradable and also hazardous to the health. Thus, any packagin
friendly and could replace polystyrenes would be highly demanded by consumers.
Next is perceived effectiveness of environmental behavior. This indicates how much difference that one individual
he could contribute towards the environment by engaging in pro-environmental behavior. Thus, what marketers
educating them on the benefits of their products and how much each individual would contribute to the surroundin
when the product is used frequently. For example, there are many companies that are producing goods from re
materials such as recycling rubbers and produce goods such as glove, flippers, doormat and shoes. At such situatio
who purchase these goods would indirectly encourage recycling of waste rubbers and reduce the usage of raw rub
marketers can conduct campaigns and exhibitions to educate the consumers about their products. Together, sale
can be carried out to stimulate purchasing intention.
Malaysian government has also involved in stimulating green purchasing behavior among the consumers. Thr
approach like AFFIRM (Awareness, Faculty, Finance, Infrastructure, Research, development and commerci
Marketing), the government is involving all stakeholders in the country to make it a realization. The financi
proposed by the government encourage the companies to produce environmentally friendly products. Malaysian
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also encourages the manufacturers within the country to partner with foreign green institutions for mutual bene
Green Forum, 2010). Lastly, younger generation believes that the environmental factors are very much importan
green purchasing behavior compare to the adults. This shows that the adolescence are highly informed and educa
importance of protecting and preserving the environment for the benefit of all. This also explains that this group of
future prospect for green products.
CONCLUSION
Integrating both cognitive and affective elements in the messages conveyed to consumers would make them t
responsible. At the same time, understanding the seriousness of the environmental problems that the country
produce eco-friendly products would very much attract the consumers towards positive intention of purchase. Co
need to be taught on the importance of each individuals contribution to the environment as through such ways, col
can be achieved. Without good education, they will not understand how the green products are benefiting th
surroundings. As governments strategic decision are also influencing consumers towards green purchasing, co
take advantage of the incentives and policies established by government to better serve their customers according
and wants. By considering the environmental factors, the green market is found to be growing while providing o
new entrants. As segmenting and targeting always move together with marketing strategies, green market
segmented and targeted. Different age groups have different perceptions towards the environmental factors. Ad
indicated a bigger market to be penetrated in the future.
Lastly by understanding, the environmental factors that have high tendency to influence consumers green purchas
marketers will be able to create the intention towards the purchase. Together, other elements such as price, quality
high performance need to be integrated to reach the actual purchasing decision.
RECOMMENDATIONSThis study has investigated the general view of consumers towards the purchases of green products. Thus, future
be focused on consumers green purchasing behavior in regards to eco-label, green packaging, biodegradable
hazardous metal-free utensils. This can be done either by focusing on the industry such as food, agriculture a
appliances or studying on the specific type of green products such as fertilizers, unleaded petrol, biodegradable p
free batteries and hybrid cars. Other than that as age group seemed to have significant differences in how they
factors affecting green purchasing behavior, future study can be focused on age differences in consumers gree
behavior. Age group can be treated as moderating variable on the relation between environmental factors
variable) and green purchasing behavior (dependent variable). This will be very helpful for the marketer to plan th
strategies according to their target market who comprises of different age groups.
This study has used cross-sectional designs in which it identifies the past or current behavior of consumers re
purchases. However, the behavior might change over time and thus, longitudinal designs might be appropriate
changes. By this, the theoretical framework used in this study would provide more information if it is a
longitudinal designs.
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survey of consumer behaviour towards eco friendly 22 jan
You've heard about it for years noweveryones interested in being green. But do youreally know how your personal choices are adding up? What about the choices of your
fellow citizens? What behaviors are people adopting globally that have a positive impact onenvironmental sustainability? What has changedand what hasntin the past few years?
This is the third year National Geographic has partnered with GlobeScan to develop aninternational research approach to measure and monitor consumer progress towardsenvironmentally sustainable consumption. The key objectives of this unprecedentedconsumer tracking survey are to provide regular quantitative measures of consumerbehavior and to promote sustainable consumption.
Why? We want to inspire action both among the millions that the National Geographicbrand touches worldwide, and among others who will hear about this study. A chiefcomponent of this effort is giving people a better idea of how consumers in differentcountries are doing in taking action to preserve our planet by tracking, reporting, andpromoting environmentally sustainable consumption and citizen behavior.
This quantitative consumer study of 17,000 consumers in a total of 17 countries (14 in2008) asked about such behavior as energy use and conservation, transportation choices,food sources, the relative use of green products versus traditional products, attitudestowards the environment and sustainability, and knowledge of environmental issues. Agroup of international experts helped us determine the behaviors that were most critical toinvestigate.
The result: the third annual National Geographic/GlobeScan "Consumer Greendex," ascientifically derived sustainable consumption index of actual consumer behavior andmaterial lifestyles across 17 countries. We will continue to track the Greendex over time,including comparability across the selection of countries representing both the developedand developing world.
Overall Results
In their third annual survey to measure and monitor consumer behaviors that have animpact on the environment, the National Geographic Society and the international pollingfirm GlobeScan have found that environmentally friendly behavior among consumers in 10out of 17 countries has increased over the past year. The survey results show thatenvironmentally friendly consumer behavior, as measured by the Greendex, has nowincreased from 2008 levels in all but one of the 14 countries polled in both 2008 and 2010.By environmentally friendly consumer behavior, we mean peoples transportation patterns,household energy and resource use, consumption of food and everyday consumer goods,and what consumers are doing to minimize the impact these activities have on theenvironment.
Greendex 2010: Consumer Choice and the Environment A Worldwide Tracking Surveyis a comprehensive measure of consumer behavior in 65 areas relating to housing,transportation, food and consumer goods. Greendex 2010 ranks average consumers in 17
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countries according to the environmental impact of their consumption patterns and is theonly survey of its kind.
As in 2008, the top-scoring consumers of 2010 are in the developing economies of India,Brazil, China, in descending order. American consumers behavior still ranks as the least
sustainable of all countries surveyed since the inception of the survey three years ago,followed by Canadian, French and British consumers. Consumers in emerging economiescontinue to round out the top tier of the Greendex ranking, while the six lowest scores wereall earned by consumers in industrialized countries.
Consumers registering the largest 2010 vs. 2008 increase in environmentally sustainableconsumer behavior were the Indians, Russians and Americans. Environmentallysustainable behavior among average consumers in India, China, Mexico, Russia, Hungary,Japan, Great Britain, and Canada has also increased steadily each year. In contrast,consumers in Germany, Spain, Sweden, France and South Korea have slipped slightlyover the past year.
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/greendex/on 22 jan
important things about eco fashion
The National Association of Sustainable Fashion Designers is one of those
organizations. Its purpose is to assist entrepreneurs with growing fashion related
businesses that create social change and respect the environment. Sustainable
Designers provides specialized triple bottom line education, training, and access
to tools and industry resources that advance creative, innovative and high impact
businesses. The organizations mission is to create social change through design
and fashion related businesses by providing education, training and programs
that are transformative to the industry and to cultivate collaboration, sustainability
and economic growth.
According to Earth Pledge, a non-profit organization (NPO) committed to
promoting and supporting sustainable development, "At least 8,000 chemicals
are used to turn raw materials into textiles and 25% of the world's pesticides areused to grow non-organic cotton. This causes irreversible damage to people and
the environment, and still two thirds of a garment's carbon footprintwill occur
after it is purchased."[2]
http://earthpledge.org/ff0n 22 jan
disease from non organic clothing
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Clothing has a lot of chemicals that a normal consumer may never knowabout in hislifetime. On an average, six hundred dyes and chemicals are used, the mostcommon being,aldrin, benzo and chlorolane. (Cantoria, 2010) These chemicals can have
from minor effectson the consumers body, such as rashes and allergies, to major skinproblems and other lungand kidney problems. Chemicals in clothes can also cause prostate,pancreas, liver and bladdercancer.(Cantoira, 2010). But, most of these diseases are contracted byworkers who work infactories. The paradox here is that we cannot keep buying clothes that are soharmful to us andyet we cannot make clothes with out them.Even though clothes have many chemicals in them, they can also be
produced withoutthe overwhelming use of chemicals. Clothes can be produced by using cropsthat are grownorganically. Such clothing is known as organic clothing. In organicclothing, the crops that
http://galileoweb.org/aoht/fi
les/2011/04/ResearchPaper-ClothingIndustryHowWeCanMakeItEcoFriendly-
Amandeep.pdf on 22 jan
Reusable cycle bag
A reusable shopping bag, sometimes called bag for life is a type ofshopping
bagwhich can be reused several times: this is an alternative of single use paper
or plastic bags. It is often made from fabric such as canvas, woven synthetic
fibers, or a thick plastic that is more durable than disposable plastic bags,
allowing multiple use.
Reusable shopping bags are a kind ofcarrier bags, which are available for salein supermarkets and apparel shops. Reusable shopping bags require more
energy to produce than common plastic shopping bags. One reusable bag
requires the same amount of energy as an estimated 28 traditional plastic
shopping bags or eight paper bags.[1] An unpublished report from the UK's
Environment Agency found that when compared to a traditional plastic bag, a
canvas or cotton reusable bag would have to be reused a total of 171 times to
offset the higher carbon emissions. The same study found however that the
average cotton bag is used only 51 times before being thrown away.
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History
First introduced in the US in 1977, plastic shopping bags for bagging groceries at
stores flourished in the 1980s and 1990s, replacing paper bags.[citation needed] In
1990s, governments in some countries started to impose taxes on distribution of
disposable plastic bags or to regulate the use of them. Supermarkets increasingly
discourage consumers from using disposable plastic bags and offer alternative
reusable shopping bags with small prices, providing information on environmental
damage associated with plastic bags.[3] Because of these encouragements,
reusable shopping bags are gradually taking place beside plastic bags. The
shape of reusable shopping bags which are now becoming popular is usually
different from what they used to be before the prevalence of plastic bags. The
apparel industry promotes reusable shopping bags as sustainable fashion.
Small retailers offerings eco clothing
Prema Clothing A Toronto based team providing you with clothing and apparel
solutions. In our changing times, we are here to fill the gap between wanting to
do the more responsible and
more eco-friendly thing and doing it. We provide you, our customer, with many
organic
and sustainable options for your custom apparel and accessories printing.
ecomum ecomum has expanded its inventory to include organic clothing for
adults and kids, as
well as hemp and other alternative fabrics, reusable swim diapers, detergents,
baby
carrying slings, waldorf toys and more.
Axis Gear Torontos eco-friendly screen printer. (Organic cotton, bamboo, hemp)
Eco-ganik Organic, natural and sustainable fashion should be a staple, not a
luxury. We want to
give the eco-minded customer a lot of options for her wardrobe for any occasion.
If
we can offer a beautiful garment, at a comparable price, why not choose eco-
friendly?
We are a young, chic, modern brand and we want to emphasize that you can
look amazing on the outside and feel good about it on the inside. Eco-Ganik isthe go-to brand
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for any earth conscious, fashion savvy girl. Were making the world a better
place, one
outfit at a time.
Ecosandals A non-profit importer and reseller of sandals produced by AkalaDesigns Limited, a
cooperative business based in Nairobi, Kenya. This astonishing international
ebusiness, based in one of Nairobis most destitute neighborhoods, currently
employs
nearly 30 Kenyans in the designing, manufacturing, marketing and selling of
really
great sandals made with recycled tire treads.
grace & cello we only work with fabrics that we can justify as having a minimal
impact on the environment, and we weigh the pros and cons of every fabric we
use in our collections Hemp & Company Specializes in selling environmentally
sustainable products that are well known for
their effective use of land and water resources. We manufacture our own clothes
using hemp and organic cotton blends and we manufacture in Vancouver,
Canada.
Lela Designs Putting the green in ladies golf! Our fashion forward designs have
been on the
forefront of the eco luxury golf niche for years and each season we better our
practices creating more choices for the earth loving consumer.
Linda Loudermilk Redefines sustainability with design that gives back to the
earth. Linda Loudermilk clothing outfits the movement, providing the uniform for
this new kind of
earth warrior an infusion of hope for an abused but resilient planet.
Loomstate Launched in New York City in 2004 by designer Rogan Gregory and
Scott
Mackinlay Hahn, Loomstate was founded as a casual brand dedicated to creating
demand for certified organic cotton using socially and environmentally
responsible
methods of production.
The Healthy Hemp Guy Mens, womens and childrens hemp clothing.
8/2/2019 Rahul Minor
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People Tree For every beautiful garment People Tree makes, there's an equally
beautiful
change happening somewhere in the world. We like to think of it in terms of our
little shoots-and-roots motif. We provide you with exclusive fashion - the shoots
- while at the same time we work deep down through the roots, improving the
lives
and environment of the artisans and farmers in developing countries who work to
produce it. It's Fair Trade throughout.
Efforts 15 years ago we started by supplying companies with eco-friendly Hemp
fabrics to
Wholesalers, Designers, Internet and other Eco-Friendly businesses acrossNorth
America. Since then, we've grown with the industry and evolved into designing
and
making a quality line-up of clothes and accessories for the whole family.
(Bamboo
& Soy as well) LivEco We are a friendly Canadian online retailer of Eco-friendly
products worldwide,
with a dominant focus on hemp clothing and home products. Based in Ontario
Canada, we pride ourselves with having fair pricing, great shipping options and
follow
up service. With our main emphases on Environmental Consciousness, you can
rest
assured knowing that our product line is all about Eco-Friendliness.
Green is Black Retails womens and mens green clothing, eco clothing, shoes,
and accessories created by cutting edge designers who use hemp, organic
cotton, bamboo, and soy, as
well as reclaimed, recycled and vintage materials. We only deal with
manufacturers who employ fairly paid labour practices: this eliminates the
dilemma of choosing between fashion and ethics.
Salts Organic Clothing All of Salts Organic Clothing is designed and produced in
North America. This is
important to us because we want to support the communities that we live and
play
in. Salts clothing is made of the highest quality organic fabrics available and we
8/2/2019 Rahul Minor
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are constantly seeking beautiful new fabrics to work with.
http://platinum.lambton.on.ca/bsi/mcfilemanager/files/templates/pdf_docs/en
viromentallyfriendlyclothingfinal-1.pdf on 22 jan
brands offering eco garments
Eco-friendly is the buzz word among apparel makers worldwide and also in
India. Of course, being eco-friendly has acquired a business sense in retail too.
No wonder, top apparel brands like Woodland, Wills Lifestyle, Van Heusen,
Benetton, SKNL, et al are betting big on eco-friendly lines to woo the
environment-conscious consumer. Arindam Saha, Associate VP-Fashion &
Textiles at Technopak explains Eco friendly clothing is a relatively new trend
for apparel industry. Worldwide, retailers and brands are coming up with line of
clothing that is eco friendly, without compromising on the style and fashion
quotient. Even brands such as Versace, Marc Jacobs and Stella McCartney are
using eco friendly materials to create their specific clothing line. In India too
there has been increased consumer awareness about sustainability and eco-
friendly nature of products and processes. According to Energy Alternatives
India, the share of eco friendly clothing in India will rise from current 1 per cent
of the total market of Rs 32,000 to 5 per cent in 2015, reaching Rs 1,500
crores thats almost 40 per cent CAGR for the next five years.
IN INDIA eco clothes gain popularity from thelaunch of designer Anita
Dongre's label Grassroot, in 2007. In Dongres own words Grassroot believes
machines cannot substitute the skills, especially those that require human
touch, and they need to be encouraged in order to sustain and continue. It is
our endeavor to revive these crafts and present them in a way that appeals to
every fashion conscious consumer. It uses cellulosic or other organic fibers
like viscose, modal, bamboo jersey fabrics that are recyclable and do not cause
any harm to the environment. It also stresses on the use of use of natural and
vegetable dyes which do not cause any industrial effluence, and the waste
products are re-used in the form of manure.
Important
Awareness about eco friendly clothing has been growing so much so that
retailers too are encouraging manufacturers to opt for a production cycle using
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less water, leading to water conversation. Woodland for example, has been
among the first companies in the early 2000 to start innovating green products
and processes. We are a green company with focus on reducing our carbon
footprint not only through the product lines, processes and supply chain but
also through our stores and corporate communication. The aim is to promote a
sustainable business model and serve as a benchmark in the retail industry for
best green practices, says Amol Dhillon, VP-Strategic Planning, Aero Group.
The brand scientifically calculates the carbon footprint of their products through
third party firms to follow strict international norms. Reduction of water usage,
recycling the waste and water, using solar panels for lighting are some of the
many ways they have gone green. They offer bio-degradable shoes; use
vegetable tanned leathers which use tanning processes followed hundreds of
years ago and is organic.
As the name suggests the concept behind the brand Do U Speak Green is
environment conservation. Our inspiration came about due to the absence of
smart looking clothing for the nature lover and absence of organic clothing in
India, explains Shishir Goenka, Director, Fusion Clothing. His passion for
wildlife preservation has made him decide to contribute 10 per cent of sales for
the environment. Similarly, Ludhiana-based brand UV&W makes clothing that
are skin friendly and good for the ecology as the cotton is grown without the
use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. We find an immense scope for eco
friendly apparel in the future to the extent that it will replace all inorganic
apparel, avers Rajat Misra, VP-Marketing and Designing.
Among the big brands Van Heusen, the apparel brand from Madura Garments,
launched its green range of apparel last year. The range has seen a healthy
demand for organic clothing. In fact, wary of how the market will receive such
a line, the brand started with a limited edition, but soon saw it flying off
shelves. Similarly, Levi's, which already retails organic jeans in the US market,
has an organic line for male and female denims called Levis-Eco. While the
cotton used by the company for making jeans is organic, the button on the
waistband is made of coconut shell. There are no metal rivets, the dye is from
natural compounds including indigo, and the label is from recycled cardboard.
Dhillon gives the big picture as he sums up: Being eco-friendly is in not only
about a T-shirt or a shoe, the reduced resource consumption and overall
impact of the brand in leaving a green footprint is the whole big pic
http://www.fashionunited.in/news/fashion/green-impact-eco-friendly-brands-all-for-a-
cause-280920112549 on 22 jan
brands offering jeans
http://www.fashionunited.in/news/fashion/green-impact-eco-friendly-brands-all-for-a-cause-280920112549http://www.fashionunited.in/news/fashion/green-impact-eco-friendly-brands-all-for-a-cause-280920112549http://www.fashionunited.in/news/fashion/green-impact-eco-friendly-brands-all-for-a-cause-280920112549http://www.fashionunited.in/news/fashion/green-impact-eco-friendly-brands-all-for-a-cause-2809201125498/2/2019 Rahul Minor
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Levi StraussThe name synonymous with jeans has evolved and produced two ecofriendly lines:Levis Eco and Levis Captial E. Whats the difference? Eco is
made with all or a large percentage of organic cotton, while Capital Efeatures all organic cotton, as well as recycled buttons, rivets, zippers andnatural indigo dyes. Both lines feature the same style and quality that madethis brand famous. www.levistrauss.com
http://www.whiteapricot.com/fab_finds/rm_top_organic_denim_lines.php0n22 jan
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