Abstract:
The concept of green marketing has become a major concern for consumers in
various industries and this has brought changes to consumers purchasing
behaviour. Over the past ten (10) years, consumers are helping to preserve the
environment by displaying green buying behaviour. The current study adds up to
green marketing literature in the cosmetic industry by including the mediating
role of situational factors on green marketing and consumer purchase behaviour.
Situational factors seek to explain possible gaps between environmental
marketing and consumer purchase behaviour. The study used a quantitative and
explanatory design of which respondents from the University of Cape Coast were
targeted. With the aid of a stratified sampling method, three hundred and seventyseven
(377) respondents were selected and questionnaires were administered.
The data were analysed using Statistical Product for Service Solution (SPSS
version 21.0) and PLS SEM statistical software. The study found that, there was
positive significant relationship between green marketing and consumer purchase
behaviour to buy cosmetics. Also, the result reveals a positive significant
relationship between green marketing and situational factors to buy cosmetics.
Price and perceived quality were the key mediating variables that had strong
impact on green marketing and consumer behaviour. Cosmetics businesses can
therefore increase consumer purchasing by using biodegradable and recyclable
materials, reduced packaging and offering consumers products with opportunity
to reuse packages. Also, producers and marketers of green products should use
eco-labels and add marketing channels that specify their products as green brands.
