Why do retail consumers buy green apparel? A knowledge-attitude-behaviour-context perspective. (March 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dhir, Amandeep; Sadiq, Mohd; Talwar, Shalini; Sakashita, Mototaka; Kaur, Puneet
• Is Part Of: Journal of retailing and consumer services. Volume 59(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-03
• Subjects: Green apparel -- Attitude-behaviour gap -- Labelling satisfaction -- Labelling desire -- Environmental knowledge -- Structural equation modeling; Retail trade -- Periodicals; Service industries -- Periodicals; Customer services -- Periodicals; Commerce de détail -- Périodiques; Service à la clientèle -- Périodiques; Customer services; Retail trade; Periodicals; 658.87
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jretconser.2020.102398
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0969-6989

Abstract

Abstract: Consumers' increased knowledge and awareness of environmental issues have not translated into a pervasive rise in purchasing green apparel, resulting in a phenomenon known as the ' attitude-behaviour gap' . The current study seeks to explicate this gap by examining the drivers of green apparel buying behaviour. Towards this end, the study examines the association of environmental knowledge, green trust, and environmental concern with environmental attitude and green apparel buying behaviour. It further investigates the association of labelling desire and labelling satisfaction with this type of buying behaviour as well. In addition, the study uses the theoretical lens of the knowledge-attitude-behaviour model and attitude-behaviour-context theory to anchor its hypotheses. Cross-sectional data from 387 Japanese consumers analysed to test the conceptual model revealed that green trust, environmental attitude, and labelling satisfaction are positively associated with green apparel buying behaviour. Furthermore, green trust, environmental concern, and environmental attitude partially mediate the proposed associations, while age and gender moderate the association between environmental knowledge and environmental concern. The study's empirical insights thus lay the foundation for future research in this area and provide strategically relevant inferences for green apparel marketers and retailers. Highlights: Knowledge-attitude-behaviour and attitude-behaviour-context theory examined green apparel buying behaviour. Environmental knowledge positively associated with green trust, environmental concern, and attitude. Findings confirmed the attitude-behaviour and concern-behaviour gaps in the context of green apparel. Green trust, environmental attitude, and labelling satisfaction predicted green apparel buying behaviour. Age and gender moderated the association of environmental knowledge with environmental concern.