Does Social Value Moderate the Young Consumer’s Intention to Buy Green Products?

Anastasia Posmaria Setiasiwi Sitohang; Athanasius Sentot Suciarto

Anastasia Posmaria Setiasiwi Sitohang Soegijapranata Catholic University
Athanasius Sentot Suciarto Soegijapranata Catholic University

Keywords: green products, young consumer’s purchase intentions, social value

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the influence of social value as a moderating variable that facilitates three exogenous variables: (1) the consumer’s concern about the environment; (2) the consumer’s belief in eco-labels; and (3) the consumer’s belief in environmental ads. The endogenous variable is the consumer’s interest to buy environmentally friendly products (green purchase intention). Goods and services produced by green companies are more likely to be bought by consumers that are concerned for the environment (eco-friendly customer). Companies that are eager to win the hearts of consumers need to accommodate their preferences for eco or environmental products. Therefore, to gain the mind, heart, and pocket of consumers, producers have to know this trend. The research respondents are the young consumers who are believed to be pioneers of the green campaign and are supposed to be primary consumers for green products.

A survey instrument was distributed to 230 young respondents aged 17 to 21 years in Semarang, Indonesia. During purchase, young consumers tend to consider their peers’ opinion, so they will buy goods or services by considering social value—including in green-product buying.

Results revealed that social value had a significant moderating effect on the relationship between the consumer’s belief in eco-labels and purchase intention. Both simple regression analysis and moderating regression analysis found that there is no significant moderating effect of social value on the relationship between the consumer’s concern about the environment, the consumer’s belief in the environment ads, and purchase intention

Author Biographies

Anastasia Posmaria Setiasiwi Sitohang, Soegijapranata Catholic University

Anastasia Posmaria Setiasiwi Sitohang is a lecturer at the Faculty of Economics and Business, Soegijapranata Catholic University in Semarang, Indonesia. Her research interests are in Marketing Management, Consumer Behavior. Corporate Social Responsibility, green business. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. degree at Diponegoro University, Indonesia. Her dissertation is on how green companies in Indonesia have built their reputation as a socially responsible company through some green production practices.

Athanasius Sentot Suciarto, Soegijapranata Catholic University

Athanasius Sentot Suciarto  is currently the Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business - Soegijapranata Catholic University in Semarang, Indonesia. His interest is on green products and marketing them. His research on the influence of green marketing toward purchase intent on the green product through attitude showed significant influence. The research was conducted on students in Taiwan and Indonesia. His next research is on the trust of consumers toward sellers of green products where the basis for trust and responsibility of marketer is ethics in marketing.