Green Consumer Behavior

Green Consumer Behavior

Introduction

With the growing concerns and knowledge towards our natural environment and the effects of what can be seen of global warming, it is shown to have affected our sense of consumerism through an increase in the number of eco-friendly and innovative products marketed today. Our first impressions towards eco-friendly products are usually perceived that the consumption of these products is better for our environment. From recyclable eco-friendly goods to alternative-energy resources, the understanding of green consumer behavior has increased through environmental and business reasons, and can be influenced by the society’s habits. In this journal article, the determinants of values, beliefs, norms, and habit are investigated to correlate with the factors of green consumer behavior. A survey was conducted as a research for the consumer behavior towards the choice of vehicle and consumption of fuel. Using data from a postal mail-in respondent self-administered questionnaire from 3000 random car owners and 1000 stratified alternative fuel vehicle owners from across Sweden. The paper aims to contribute by investigating determinants of curtailment behaviors and green purchase behaviors, and analyzing these two to each other by using the data.

Relevant Theory

In this investigation, it is theorized that the increasing knowledge of green consumer behavior is important for both environmental and operational reasons, which can be interpreted through the following perspectives. In an environmental perspective, the lessening of negative effects of consumption is vital in order to fulfill some of the goals put forth by the international community (OECD, 2002; UNEP, 2007). In a business to marketing perspective, the development of eco-friendly products is not effective without customers adopting the green technologies and using it frequently in their lifestyles. In a consumer research perspective, the behavior of reducing negative...