The effect of green marketing concepts and tools on Malaysian consumers` environmental protection behaviour

Abstract

Over the last three decades, the term ‘green marketing’ has become a serious subject in marketing literature. Understanding green marketing concepts and tools have been significant in encouraging consumers’ behaviour towards environmental protection, as well as increasing the spectrum of green marketing’s role, consumers’ awareness and greater responsibility to protect the environment. Yet, research on this subject, particularly on the effect of green marketing concepts and tools on consumers’ environmental protection behaviour in Malaysia remains limited. This research aims to address the research gap on the practices of green marketing concepts and tools, particularly in the context of consumers’ understanding, attitude, awareness, intention, and the resulting behaviours towards environmental protection. Theoretical framework of this research is based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour comprising of components such as attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioural control. Constructs of this study include attitude towards green marketing concepts and tools, attitude towards environmental protection, social influence, government’s role, and green product price. Two mediators (awareness and intention) and one moderator (gender) forms the area of focus, while environmental protection behaviour acts as the sole dependent construct. Analysis of data was conducted through descriptive, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis using SPSS and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). A total of 600 questionnaires were distributed through convenience sampling, specifically in and around the Klang Valley and Selangor areas. In summary, 12 hypotheses links were supported, while eight were rejected. Results obtained from the SEM underlined the five significant constructs. Firstly, social influence, government’s role and green product price does have a direct relationship with environmental protection behaviour (EPB), while consumers’ attitude towards green marketing concepts and tools, and attitude towards environmental protection have no direct influence on consumers’ EPB. Secondly, awareness does mediate the relationships between social influence, government’s role, green product price and EPB, but does not mediate the relationships between attitude towards green marketing concepts and tools, attitude towards environmental protection, and EPB. Thirdly, intention only mediate the relationship between social influence and EPB. Finally, the moderation analysis indicates that except for relationship between attitude towards environmental protection and awareness, where there is no difference between male and female, all other items are different between genders. The theoretical implication contributes to the behavioural perspective as it provides an empirical evidence with regards to improving consumers’ attitude through green marketing concepts and tools, while understanding consumers’ awareness and attitude towards EPB. Practical implications firstly provide reference material for marketers to understand the current environmental issues based on consumers interest for green products. Heightened awareness among consumers contribute to the development of positive attitudes, and hence, further improvement in consumers’ EPB. Secondly, robust implementation of government’s role, adequate facilities and information, and eco-literacy in Malaysian education syllabus may influence consumers’ understanding of individual’s responsibility to environmental protection. Finally, consumers’ own interest and involvement in social interaction brings about improved awareness and intention, stronger commitment, and attitude towards EPB.