Influence of green marketing strategies on green product buying

behavior consumers

1. Introduction

1.1 Background of the study

Environmental problems are the much talked about situations in the all over the world.
Environmental pollution has focused a rapid pace in the corporate world and ordinary lifestyle as
well as. Every movement people associate with environment is aware of the common
inconvenience like global pollution, global warming, ozone layer depreciation, paucity of natural
resources and etc. On the other side, demographic factors including age, gender, income, and
education cause consumers' mindsets to differ from one another. Demographic factors mentioned
above have a direct bearing on how green marketing alters consumer attitudes towards the
environment and influences them to buy green products. Numerous studies and analyses have
shown that the impact of green marketing operations varies greatly according to changes in
demographic factors. Companies increasingly work to educate customers about the benefits of
turning green. The new green marketing strategies that the marketers have adopted include the
usage of eco-labels, eco-brands, and environmental advertising. These eco-friendly marketing
strategies are essential for changing consumers' perceptions and encouraging them to buy eco-
friendly goods. Furthermore, this action lessens the damaging effects that non-green products
have on the environment. Ginsberg and Bloom contend that as no single marketing plan will
work for all businesses, markets, or customers, the methods should be tailored to the market and
consumers' environmental concerns (Dr. Meghna Sharma, 2016)(Dr. Meghna Sharma, 2016).
According to the American marketing organization, green marketing is the marketing of products
that are made for environmental safety. Green marketing refers to the process of marketing
products and brands based on their environmental friendly. Such products may be ecologically
beneficial and friendly way. Natural resources almost limited and human wants are unlimited, so
this is very important for manufactures to utilize the resources efficiently without waste and to
achieve the organization’s targets. This is increasing interest through the consumers all around
the world regarding protection of the nature (Bukhari, 2011). According to the marketing mix, it
includes products, price, promotion and place (4Ps). The components of marketing mix in green
marketing are very necessary for sellers to use to win the business’s missions. From the starting
of the 1980s, there have been environmental problems like global temperature increasing, the
greenhouse impacts, pollution and weather differentiate which are mainly relevant to industrial
producing and this will continue to influence people’s actions. Consumer concern over
environmental protection and demand for green products have increased as a result of the rise in
environmentalism that has taken over the world. As a result, the majority of businesses have
started using green marketing and green product creation. Techniques that can fulfil consumer
desires while protecting the environment in order to generate long-term profitability in
businesses. Many businesses used green marketing as a subtype of their marketing strategies
before such concepts were adopted. Framework as well as making efforts to create eco-friendly
items that could aid in addressing the escalating environmental issues. In order to satisfy
customers' requirements and wishes and lessen adverse effects on the environment, a variety of
corporate operations are included in "green marketing". Green marketing is defined as any
promotional effort that emphasizes environmental principles as business basics and sees an
advantage in influencing consumer behavior in favor of a brand. In general, the primary goals of
green marketing were to reduce the environmental risks brought on by industrial manufacturing
and to enhance corporate perceptions of being environmentally conscious among consumers
(Prof. Dr. Rashad Yazdanifard, 2014). Regards about changing pro-environmental behavior,
weather and climate conditions have encouraged business achievements to integrate
environmental issues into their rising business process. Some organizations face the challenges
in rebuilding their business process to create them environmentally friendly and shift the
orientation towards achieving sustainability. The goal of the current study is to close this
knowledge gap regarding the impact of green marketing strategies on millennials' intentions to
purchase green personal care products in the context, as well as to highlight the moderating
effects of consumer demographics and environmental attitudes (Balween Kaur, 2022). Today,
environmental awareness is not only a global concern but also a difficult topic for academic
study. Since the 1970s, the environmental concern has encouraged a good change in consumer
behavior. Customers' perceptions have been significantly shaken by this development, and their
concern for the environment's preservation and mitigation of any further harm has increased.
Green marketing is undoubtedly an effort to lessen these unsettling effects on our environment
by implementing a new green concept through the design, production, packaging, labelling, and
consumption of eco-friendly products. Businesses frequently employ various strategical methods
to various market segments in an effort to obtain competitive advantages by repositioning
consumer perception through cutting-edge green products. The idea of green marketing has just
recently received attention in comparison to product packaging, labelling, and incentive
programs. A review should be conducted to learn how various organizations are devoting their
efforts to environmentally friendly operations (A S M Saifur Rahman, 2017). Companies that are
dedicated to corporate social responsibility and sustainable development engage in green
marketing. A lot of businesses are working to adopt environmentally friendly, sustainable
business practices. Eco-friendly items can be produced in accordance with consumer preferences
while minimizing expenses associated with packing, shipping, energy/water use, etc. This study
focuses on the influential effect of marketing and analyses how customers' values, beliefs,
attitudes, and exposure to influences and information, alter their behavior and perceptions of
product performance. Therefore, it is crucial to take into account the variables impacting the
customers' decision-making process and preferences if the market for environmentally friendly
sustainable products is to become mainstream (Manivannan, 2022).

1.2 Problem statement

Thus, the main purpose of the current research is how organizations use green marketing
strategies and as a developing country why consumer’s green products purchasing behavior is
very lower level in Sri Lanka. Green products is new marketing strategy in to the world. Most
companies very sensitive for the profits. Every single time organizations highly dedicate to win
this market competition. Like governments and other non-governmental societies are looking for
whole welfare. Consequently world environmental societies introduced various innovations to
defend this environmental pollution. Such as new standards, recommendations, incentives and
encouragements also. A organization who using green marketing concept, that company have to
invest for new innovations. So there will be another cost adding in their total cost and it’ll
reasonable to have profit reduction and sometimes it also finally adding products prices. Price is
the most sensitive part in consumers. Therefore when prices of green products increase, demand
gonna decrease on green products. It’s just simple theory in demand and supply. Hence most
consumer’s green products buying behavior not good situation in Sri Lanka. As Winn and Angell
2000 status, when there have three major problems with green marketing. They identify lower
credibility, customer cynicism and buyer’s confusion. Because of these problems reasonable to
decrease demand of green products. Majority of customers unaware and not good sensitive of the
severe environmental problems had been brought in to influence with the consumption of that
product. Consumers not very good attention and unfocused to the natural claims from the green
ads for those products (Bukhari, 2011). Chan in 2004 found the ambiguous green marketing
principals from the advertisements of green didn’t strongly communicate of the ecological
centric picture of the organization, some advertise products lose to get customer attention.
Michaud & Llerena (2011) wrote, sometimes green products producing with recycle materials
and remanufactured products. Because like that product’s performance very poor than non-green
products and customers are not buying green products for higher price. Cherian & Jacob
discovered in 2012, consumers don’t believe ecological labels and advertisements, results from
that customers ignoring the ecological labeling also. Reasons of different conflicts in consuming
the green products and too weakness for manufacture the relevant items are the main problems of
green products decreased in Sri Lanka.
1.3 Research questions and objectives

The main purpose of this study is to enquire the green marketing strategies how can influence on
consumer’s about green products buying behavior in Sri Lanka. As specific goal, what
organizations use green marketing strategies and why green products buying behavior is very
lower level in Sri Lankan consumers.

Hence, this research focuses on the following questions,

RQ01. Why Sri Lankan consumers not very interested with green products buying behavior?

RQ02. What are the Sri Lankan organizations have some unsuccessful things to use green
marketing strategies?

RQ03. What are the barriers have facing on businesses to develop green marketing strategies in
Sri Lanka?

RQ04. Find about the advantages and weaknesses of green marketing concept in Sri Lankan
business parties and consumers?

1.4 Significance of the study

Day to day business world become complicating. So businesses need to find good marketing
method to defend themselves. And this green marketing concept can easily get consumer’s
attraction. Most developed countries have succeeded this green marketing. Therefore this green
marketing concept can protect our nature, like this kind of valuable concept how is become
terminating in our country. Hence this sustainable marketing is latest popular marketing version
to stable and develop companies. Every countries most sensitive for our nature now. Results for
that countries established new unions for promote these green marketing. And international
companies almost introduced standards also. And some countries give special tax reliefs to those
green products. On this research we can identify final result of connection between green
marketing and consumer buying behavior. So this circumstance is very helpful organizations as
well as people of this society. Such as a developed country Sri Lanka must achieve strong
economy with ecologically. This research guides to how can become accomplish target within
various conflicts in Sri Lanka.

1.5 Limitations

This study is conducted in Sri Lanka and this research is based on a cross-sectional survey
design. Limits the possibility to draw any business decision about the casual affair between green
marketing strategies and green products buying behavior. In addition, the behavior of consumers
are affected by other variables than green marketing, such as influences of other marketing
strategies, global competition, culture, international and political. When I collect information
from consumer who buying green products from Sri Lankan supermarkets. In Sri Lanka most
people ignore this green marketing. Because of poverty, people most sensitive for the prices of
the products. As a consequence from that manufactures ignore to green production. So this will
become bad impact to my research. And green marketing is very complex in our society. People
don’t concern about green products. Therefore I may include kind of complex questions from the
people. Sometimes people will not give correct answers and they refuse to answer these
questions because of these economic situation less aware to green. Hence if expect to research
from every single businesses and every customers but unit of analysis is supermarkets in Sri
Lanka. Therefore this research study would be undertaken to inquire how other variables can
play a role in this model. Hence this uncertain Green marketing strategies measured by only four
different variables also future researches need to concern other systems of checking strategies.
2. Literature review

2.1 Chapter Introduction

This chapter explores the approaches to a conceptual framework of Green marketing. Firstly the
chapter defines the term green marketing. Secondly, the chapter reviews on relevant theories
regarding to green marketing. In third section, the chapter aims to build an empirical review for
this study while buying green products. Finally, to review the relevant literature to identify
measures of influencing strategies of Green marketing of consumer’s purchasing behavior in Sri
Lanka.

2.2 Green Marketing Strategies

Businesses who use green marketing concept, they’ve own strategies for influence to consumer’s
buying behavior. Green marketing is significant part of attention for organizations and society in
public. It’s very equal to traditional marketing, one and only difference is that it designs
marketing works that includes producing, differentiating, pricing, promoting, packaging, placing
and green disposal of products which are naturally protect and possible to satisfy customer
environmentally needs ( Appadurai K. , 2022) Consumers present distinctive behavior if those
parts are impacted however and will support to develop strategies of green marketing
(Yazdanifard D. R., 2014).

2.3 Theoretical Review

Organizations use different and various green marketing strategies to change consumer’s green
product buying behavior. What kind of green marketing strategies are businesses using and on
these green strategies how consumer’s buying behavior change and react to that. Thus, the main
purpose of this study is to contribute to green marketing strategies impact on Sri Lankan
consumers green products buying behavior. The following sub-sections discuss the key
definitions and empirical findings related with green marketing strategies and green products
buying behavior consumers. Theory of planned behavior and theory of reasoned action are the
always using theory models for conforming, forecasting and predicting the behavior of humans.
This current study actively extended version are theory of planned behavior and theory of
reasoned action, which contains four parts of the green marketing mix from moderating the
impact of buyers traditional and ecological attitudes on green purchasing intentions (Solvalier,
2010).

2.4 Empirical review

Consumers have what kind of behavior to buy green products from markets. Consumer’s buying
behavior is very sensitive thing. It’s always changing, reacting and responding for any element.
Consumers behavior is impact by the market activities. In this research, as a depending variable
green products buying behavior shows how changes influence on green marketing strategies.
Customer behavior includes mental activities, emotive and physically that consumers handle
while choosing, buying use and satisfy products and services their needs and desires (Kotler,
1999). The research of the processes connected according to personally and groups choose, buy,
consumption or dispose of products and services to satisfy wants and desires (Yazdanifard R. ,
2015).
2.5 Research gap

When the customers purchasing decisions choosing affected by products harmful consequences
on natural environment, so the producers understand the demand to produce green products
(Uydaci, 2012). Green products as items that’s manufactured in a manner that is naturally
conscious, has lower negative result on natural environment, product or packaging produced
from recycle resources, conserves environmental materials and is produced locally Diglel and
Yazdanifard (2014). Campher (2013) identify market study show that buyers need greener
products. Ottoman & Mallen (2014) indicates those individuals are searching out green products,
because they prove them to be healthy and organic of better quality, and support protect the
natural environment. Green products don’t any negative effects to human health and natural
environment, like these green products don’t natural pollution, can be recycled, and permit for
preservation of natural materials for future generation. The green products says ecological,
environmental and societal staging is more than cultural non green products in all grades
Dangelico, R.M.; Pontrandolfo, P (2010). Therefore, the study hypothesized as;

H1: Green products significantly impact consumer’s green products buying behavior.

Green price can be began as decide prices for green products, which can be better compared to
inherent and traditional non-green products due to usage of production factors to build better
quality, usage of substitute products for artificial chemicals, and other inferior resources and
raised total cost of production for increased boundary (Peattie, K.; Crane, A 2005). Green price
safes of the consumers, natural and profit, likewise consumer’s health and sustainability
(Mahmoud, T.O, 2018). When price will premium normally handled by researchers with green
products, like going green production, disposal and consumption fascinate additional expenses,
consequence in higher cost of production than traditional and cultural non green products. The
costs of teaching policy surveys involved to natural environment accumulate to the cost of
production, by that increasing the vend prices of green products (Larashati, H.; Hudrasyah, H.;
Chandra, N, 2012). A important consequence is arranged by the green products price on
consumers purchasing decision (Widayanti, S.; Mafruha, A.; Amir, I.T, 2022). Natural friendly
products prices is in some matters higher than prices of the normal optional (Mantiaha, 2016).
Therefore, hypothesis was developed as:

H2: Green price significantly impacts consumer’s green products buying behavior.

Place is the third determinant part among the purchasing green products process. Some
customers don’t need actively seek for places where green products are located and obstacles
(Rex and Baumann, 2007). Green place manages backward organize to decrease carbon footprint
by bringing down motion transportation (Shil, P, 2012). The green marketing strategies got by
marketers to produce green products want at that better time, in the exact quantity, and at the
correct place are mentioned to like green place like a part of green marketing strategies. Green
place contains better checklist or inventory management, decrease inventory costs, saving in
money and time, and upgraded service to customers (Lee, C.K.M.; Lam, J.S.L, 2012).Thus, the
study hypothesized as;

H3: Green place significantly impacts consumer’s green products buying behavior.

Green promotion can customers to attain information of green products, this’s why businesses
would attention more on green reporting and green advertising. Organizations would also have a
higher range of green promotional tools like agenda, receipt, offers and bonus to favorable
feedback of the buyers in purchasing environmental friendly products (Manjunath, 2013). Green
promotion scheme are effective and efficient means of telling stakeholders about their natural
conservation efforts, dedication and performance (Dahlstrom, 2011). How the organization
promote their products, by advertising products about relation with environmental friendly and
how the organizations design the advertisements get benefits for their objectives and positive
impact to customers can identify as green promotion (Gratia F. Mantiaha, 2016). Agyeman
(2014) thinks that a customer’s choice of a green products are heavily depend on this promote.
Green promotion raise the green picture and convince consumers to change for green products by
showing their natural advantages and integration to sustainable exist (Kaur, 2022) As such, the
study hypothesized as;
H4: Green promotion significantly impacts consumer’s products green buying behavior.

2.6 Chapter summary

The green marketing and most common problem this green marketing is new thing to world.
Therefore green marketing have own strategies to use develop green product on consumers. How
their production convert to green and create green innovations to customers and how can affect
those strategies to consumer’s purchasing behavior and consumer’s how can welcome these
green products to their lifestyle.

3. Methodology

3.1 Research Approach

Since the present study targets to identify the influence green marketing strategies significant on
green product buying behavior, by forming hypotheses based on theories and then testing them
over a large number sample of consumers who green products buying from supermarkets in Sri
Lanka. So, this study represents the deductive approach. Under the deductive approach,
explanatory research design engages in hypotheses testing. (The Concept of Green Marketing
and Green Product Development on, 2014)It explains the nature of cause and effect relationships
between each variables. In order to achieve the research objectives, a model that represents the
connections amongst the green marketing strategies significant and green product buying
behavior consumers is developed, followed by the hypotheses.
3.2 Study Design

The survey method is most popular in business research design, because it allows the researcher
to collect quantitative data from google forms and questionnaires. It gives very clear quantitative
evidences and information about consequences green marketing strategies affect to the
consumer’s behavior. Comparing and interrupting those numerical data can present good picture
about this research.

3.3 Conceptual Framework

The following model illustrates the influence of four green marketing strategies on consumer’s
buying behaviour towards green products.

Green product

Green product buying behavior

Green price consumers

Green place

Green promotion
 Figure 3.1: Conceptual Framework

3.4 Hypotheses

From the conceptual framework, the following hypotheses are developed:

• H1 Green product strategy significantly influence consumer’s green products buying

behavior.

• H2 Green price strategy significantly influence consumer’s green products buying

behavior.

• H3 Green place strategy significantly influence consumer’s green products buying

behavior.

• H4 Green promotion strategy significantly influence consumer’s products green buying

behavior.

3.5 Unit of analysis

The scope of this research most attention for customers whose buying green products.
Accordingly, unit of analysis of the studies is consumers who green products buying from Sri
Lankan supermarkets.

3.6 Time-horizon
The cross-sectional survey method is chosen to collect primary data from the sample who green
products buying Sri Lankan supermarkets. Quantitative form of data will be collected to measure
each of the green marketing strategies of this study and test the desired hypotheses.

3.7 Population and Sample

The scope of this research contains a consumers in Sri Lanka. These consumers are recognized
as whose buying green products in Sri Lanka. It’s very hard to calculate total population of
consumers in Sri Lanka. So it’s unknown number. Population focus on consumers in Sri Lanka
and its very higher amount than 1million, sample size can take as 384 consumers in Sri Lanka.
Creswell, 2009 said on sampling can show as the selection of respondents about our study.

3.8 Data Collection Method

The raw and primary data collected desired sample by cross sectional survey method. The survey
method is the most suitable technique to collect data from a high population with cost and time
effective and efficient way. Passing questionnaires as google documents, every Sri Lankan can
fill this online. Therefore having many responds all over the country, it’s very easy to understand
all over the country’s consumer behavior. The questionnaire obtain with three parts. On first
section can understand respondent profile and personal information. Second section focus how
about consumers reacting to green marketing strategies. Third part focus to green product buying
behavior of consumers.

3.9 Data Analysis Methods

 There’ve three steps related in data analysis. There’re sampling profile, testing data and
designing hypotheses. On this analysis measure the sample profile. Reliability and validity
measurements are handled to test data. Validity measures and develops well an instrument the
particular concept. Questionnaires measure instrument would valid and qualify of the study. The
reliability measures testing for consistence and stable. The multiple regression analysis is used to
how impact of independent and dependent variable. In this research whether how green
marketing strategies significantly influence to green products buying behavior on consumers.
The SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science) software version 21.0 will utilize. Further
moderating analysis testing moderate impacts of gender and personality on the relationship
between green marketing strategies and green products buying behavior.

Research Approach Deductive & explanatory

Sample design quantitative

Target population consumers in Sri Lanka

Sample method Random sampling method

Sample size 384 consumers in Sri Lanka

Data analysis method The SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science)
software version 21.0
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Kaduruwana Janith Jayendra

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