Effect of Green Marketing on Consumer Purchasing Behaviour: The Mediating Role of Situational Factors

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.