Exploring the Impact of Environmental Consciousness and Green Marketing on Pro-Environmental Purchase Decisions
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66635/mfcwrk04Keywords:
Environmental Consciousness, Green Marketing, Consumer Behaviour, Theory of Planned Behavior, Psychographic Segmentation, Sustainable Consumption, IndiaAbstract
Environmental consciousness and green marketing have emerged as pivotal factors in shaping sustainable consumer behavior. This study explores the relationship between consumers' environmental awareness, their perception and belief systems, and the impact of green marketing on pro-environmental purchase decisions. Grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), the study integrates both demographic (age, gender, profession) and psychographic (perception, belief, purchase preference) variables within a unified analytical framework to examine their differential influence on green marketing acceptance. Utilizing a quantitative research design, data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered via a mall intercept technique in the Delhi and National Capital Region (NCR) of India. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was conducted to validate the measurement instrument, and hypothesis testing was employed to examine these relationships. The findings reveal that while demographic factors such as gender and profession do not significantly influence green marketing acceptance, age—particularly among younger consumers—does. More importantly, psychographic factors—specifically perception, belief, and purchase preferences—emerge as the primary determinants of green marketing acceptance. Consumers with strong environmental beliefs and positive perceptions of green marketing were significantly more likely to make environmentally conscious purchasing decisions. The study contributes to green marketing theory by providing empirically grounded evidence from an emerging economy context, challenging the dominant reliance on demographic segmentation, and reinforcing the centrality of psychological constructs in sustainable consumption research. Practical implications for marketers, policymakers, and sustainability advocates are discussed.
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