Journal of Environmental Science International (한국환경과학회지)

The Korean Environmental Sciences Society (한국환경과학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Moderating Effect of Situational Factors on Purchase Intention and Purchase Behavior for Environmentally Friendly Products

친환경 제품 구매의도와 구매행동 간의 상황적 요인의 조절효과

  • Kim, Sa-Won (Dept. of Business Administration, Kyungpook National University) ;
  • Lee, Soo-Hyung (Dept. of Business Administration, Kyungpook National University)
  • Received : 2018.09.11
  • Accepted : 2018.10.18
  • Published : 2018.12.31
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Many consumers intend to make environmentally purchase. However, this is not always what occurs. A gap exists between consumer intentions to purchase environmentally friendly products and their actual purchase behavior. In this study, we examined the effect of situational factors such as price sensitivity, product quality perception, and label trust on the relationship between purchase intention and purchase behavior for environmentally friendly products. First, we conducted a theoretical consideration through a review of literature on price sensitivity, product quality perception, label trust, purchase intention and purchase behavior. Based on the literature review, we designed a structural model and developed the hypotheses. Next, we collected data using a survey and processed them statistically in order to verify the hypotheses. A total of 213 samples were collected and the data were analyzed using a structural equation model (LISREL 8.70). The results suggest that the situational factor of label trust has a moderating effect on the relationship between purchase intention and purchase behavior for environmentally friendly products. However, price sensitivity and product quality perception have no moderating effect. This means that trust in labels is important when consumers want to buy environmentally friendly products. Although this study has some limitations, it is expected that it will positively trigger follow-up research.

Keywords

References

  1. Belk, R. W., 1975, Situational variables and consumer behavior, Journal of Consumer Research, 2(3), 157-164. https://doi.org/10.1086/208627
  2. Blackwell, R. D., Miniard, P. W., Engel, J. F., 2001, Consumer behavior, Thomson.
  3. Carrington, M. J., Neville, B. A., Whitwell, G. J., 2010, Why ethical consumers don't walk their talk: Towards a framework for understanding the gap between the ethical purchase intentions and actual buying behaviour of ethically minded, Journal of Business Ethics, 97, 139-158. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-010-0501-6
  4. Carrington, M. J., Neville, B. A., Whitwell, G. J.. 2014, Lost in translation: Exploring the ethical consumer intention: Behavior gap, Journal of Business Research, 67(1), 2759-2767. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2012.09.022
  5. Cleveland, M., Kalamas, M., Laroche, M., 2012, It's not easy being green: Exploring green creeds, green deeds, and internal environmental locus of control, Psychology & Marketing, 29(5), 293-305. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.20522
  6. Gleim, M. R., Smith, J. S., Andrews, D., Cronin, J. J., 2013, Against the green: A Multi-method examination of the barriers to green consumption, Journal of Retailing, 89(1), 44-61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretai.2012.10.001
  7. Grimmer, M., Kilburn, A. P., Miles, M. P., 2016, The effect of purchase situation on realized pro-environmental consumer behavior, Journal of Business Research, 69(5), 1582-1586. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2015.10.021
  8. Grimmer, M., Miles, M. P., 2017, With the best of intentions: a large sample test of the intention-behaviour gap in pro-environmental consumer behaviour, International Journal of Consumer Studies, 41(1), 2-10. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcs.12290
  9. Hahnel, J. J., Ortmann, C., Korcaj, L., Spada, H., 2014, What is green worth to you? Activating environmental values lowers price sensitivity towards electric vehicles, Journal of Environmental Psychology, 40, 306-319. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2014.08.002
  10. Hsu, C. L., Chang, C. Y., Yansritakul, C., 2017, Exploring purchase intention of green skincare products using the theory of planned behavior: Testing the moderating effects of country of origin and price sensitivity, Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 34, 145-152. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2016.10.006
  11. Jin, Y. H., An, S. H., Kim, Y. Y., 2016, Analysis of purchasing behavior of food service customers using the extended theory of planned behavior : Focused on environment friendly agricultural product, International Journal of Tourism and Hospitality Research, 30(1), 151-162.
  12. Joshi, Y., Rahman, Z., 2015, Factors affecting green purchase behaviour and future research directions, International Strategic Management Review, 3, 128-143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ism.2015.04.001
  13. Joshi, Y., Rahman, Z., 2017, Investigating the determinants of consumers' sustainable purchase behaviour, Sustainable Production and Consumption 10, 110-120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2017.02.002
  14. Kim, J. H., Park, E. A., 2015, Determinants of pro-environmental behavior and environmental consumerism: Focusing on norm and motivation, Journal of Consumer Studies, 26(1), 1-22.
  15. Kim, Y., Choi, S. M., 2005, Antecedents of green purchase behaviour: An examination of collectivism, environmental concern, and PCEE, Advances in Consumer Research, 32(1), 592-599.
  16. Ministry of Environment, 2005, Public opinion survey on eco-friendly products.
  17. Moon, S. J., Lee, S. H., 2013, Effects of consumer's eco-mark perception on product evaluation, Journal of Consumer Studies, 24(1), 99-123.
  18. Moussa, S., Touzani, M., 2008, The perceived credibility of quality labels: A scale validation with refinement, International Journal of Consumer Studies, 32(5), 526-533. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1470-6431.2008.00713.x
  19. Newton, J. D., Tsarenko, Y., Ferraro, C., Sands, S., 2015, Environmental concern and environmental purchase intentions: The mediating role of learning strategy, Journal of Business Research, 68(9), 1974-1981. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2015.01.007
  20. No, M. J., Park, H. H., 2011, An Effect of the beliefs, perceived enjoyment, and trust on the acceptance about the smart clothing: Moderating effect of price consciousness of the smart clothing, Journal of Industrial Economics and Business, 24(4), 2473-2497.
  21. Park, H. R., 2011, Understanding internet purchase behaviour based on model of goal-directed behaviour: Focused on need for cognition, The Korean Journal of Advertising, 22(2), 67-95.
  22. Park, Y. G., No, J. S., Park, J. J., 2017, The effects of psychological barriers and psychological distance on purchasing intention and usage behavior of organic food, Journal of Marketing Studies, 25(4), 197-213.
  23. Paul, J., Modi, A., Patel, J., 2016, Predicting green product consumption using theory of planned behavior and reasoned action, Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 29, 123-134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2015.11.006
  24. Richter, I. G. M., Klöckner, C. A., 2017, The psychology of sustainable seafood consumption: A comprehensive approach, Foods, 6(10), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods6010001
  25. Rokka, J., Uusitalo, L., 2008, Preference for green packaging in consumer product choices - do consumers care?, International Journal of Consumer Studies, 32(5), 516-25. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1470-6431.2008.00710.x
  26. Schlegelmilch, B. B., Bohlen, G. M., Diamantopoulos, A., 1996, The link between green purchasing decisions and measures of environmental consciousness, European Journal of Marketing, 30(5), 35-55. https://doi.org/10.1108/03090569610118740
  27. Sweeney, J. C., Soutar, G. N., Johnson, L. W., 1999, The role of perceived risk in the quality-value relationship: A study in a retail environment, Journal of Retailing, 75(1), 77-105. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-4359(99)80005-0
  28. Walsh, G., Mitchell, V. W., 2010, The effect of consumer confusion proneness on word of mouth, trust, and customer satisfaction, European Journal of Marketing, 44(6), 838-859. https://doi.org/10.1108/03090561011032739
  29. Wee, C. S., Ariff, M. S., Zakuan, N., Tajudin, M. N., 2014, Consumers perception, purchase intention and actual purchase behavior of organic food products, Society of Interdisciplinary Business Research, 3(2), 378-397.
  30. Wekefield, K. L., Inman, J. J., 2003, Situational price sensitivity: The role of consumption occasion, social context and income, Journal of Retailing, 79(4), 199-212. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretai.2003.09.004
  31. Zeithaml, V., 1988, Consumer perceptions of price, quality, and value: A means-end model and synthesis of evidence, Journal of Marketing, 52(3), 2-22. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224298805200302