Influence of Environmental Concern on Green Purchasing Behavior among Undergraduate Students in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Aims: The main objective of the study was to determine how the consumers’ pro environmental concerns affected their green buying behavior in sports science and management undergraduate consumers. Furthermore, determining the green buying behavior of consumers and willing to pay for eco green products and awareness of the green products were also among the specific objectives of the study. Study design:  This research is a quantitative investigation with a cross-sectional design, involving the collection of data at a single point in time. The primary objective of the study is hypothesis testing, specifically examining the association between individuals' pro-environmental concerns and their green purchasing behavior. The researchers had limited involvement in  the data collection process, which relied on a questionnaire, and the study took place in  a natural, non-contrived setting. The individual students served as the units of analysis for this study. Place and Duration of Study: The study's sample consisted of 140 Sports Science students from the Department of Sports Science within the Faculty of Applied Sciences at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura in Sri Lanka (n=140). Data collection occurred from June 2022 to September 2022. Methodology: The observed variables of the study were pro environmental concerns, consumers’ environmental concern, consumers’ health concerns, consumers’ economic concerns, consumer’s energy saving concerns and recycling concerns along with awareness of green products. A pre-tested Likert Scale questionnaire was used to accessed information and the validity and reliability was also measured. Results: The results indicate that consumers’ pro-environmental concerns significantly affect their green buying behavior. The environmental concerns, health concern, economic concerns, energy saving concerns and recycling concerns positively affected the green buying behavior. Also, it was found that consumers are willing to buy green products. The survey findings disclose that consumers’ awareness towards green products, high level of green buying behavior products and their pro environmental concern impacts their green buying behavior. Conclusion: Consumers are willing to buy green products. The survey findings disclose that consumers’ awareness towards green products, high level of green buying behavior products and their pro environmental concern impacts their green buying behavior.