Ethno-Cultural Differences and Consumer Understanding of Eco-Labels: An Empirical Study in Malaysia

Abstract

Firms have been using eco-label as a tool to inform consumers of the environmental characteristics of their products. The essential issue for marketers in international markets particularly in countries with multi-ethnic population such as Malaysia is to identify the existence of different ethnic groups and their responses (i.e. behavior) to their products. The purpose of this article is to examine whether different ethnic groups display different perception on eco-label. Results indicate that Malay, Chinese and Indian, the three major ethnic groups in Malaysia differ in their awareness, recognition and perception of the eco-label. The findings imply the importance of ethnicity whereby marketing managers should consider ethno-cultural differences when marketing and promoting their eco-labeled products in the market to achieve competitive advantage. ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR Copyright of Journal of Sustainable Development is the property of Canadian Center of Science & Education and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)