The relationship between green packaging awareness, initiatives, and behaviour

Abstract

Growing environmental concerns have spurred increased interest in sustainable business practices. Green packaging, a key component of this movement, aims to minimize environmental impact through eco-friendly materials and production processes. This study investigates the relationship between green packaging awareness and consumer behaviour, a segment often underrepresented in sustainability research. Drawing on the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA), explore how environmental consciousness, emotional responses, and social values influence purchasing decisions related to eco-friendly packaging. The TRA posits that attitudes towards a behaviour, influenced by beliefs about its consequences, and subjective norms (perceived social pressure), predict behaviour al intentions, which in turn, predict actual behaviour. By examining these factors in the context of green packaging, the aim, to develop a comprehensive framework for understanding consumer decision-making. A robust measurement model is developed to capture the key constructs of the TRA framework. This model is then validated through a survey administered to a diverse sample of consumers. The analysis was focused on assessing the internal consistency of the measurement scales and testing the hypothesized relationships between environmental consciousness, emotions, social values, attitudes towards green packaging, subjective norms, and purchase intentions. This research addresses a critical gap in the previous literature by focusing on the unique context in rural India. Understanding consumer behaviour in this segment is crucial for businesses seeking to expand their sustainability efforts while catering to a growing and environmentally conscious market. The findings of this study was provided the valuable insights into how businesses can leverage green packaging initiatives to influence purchasing decisions and promote environmentally responsible behaviour. Furthermore, the research contributes to the broader body of knowledge on sustainable consumption by demonstrating the applicability of the TRA framework in a non-Western context.