Green Marketing and Consumer Buying Behavior in Ethiopia: The Role of Environmental Knowledge and Environmental Concern
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Green marketing has become a significant tool for fostering sustainable consumption; yet, the psychological mechanisms by which it affects consumer behavior are not fully comprehended, especially in emerging markets. This study investigates the impact of green marketing on customer purchasing behavior by including environmental knowledge and concern within an expanded Theory of Planned Behavior framework. Green marketing is defined as a higher-order construct that includes eco-labeling and green branding. Data were gathered via a survey of university consumers in Ethiopia and analyzed utilizing Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling. The findings indicate that green marketing has a substantial impact on consumer purchasing behavior, both directly and indirectly. Environmental knowledge is a robust predictor of purchasing behavior and functions as the principal mediating mechanism, whereas environmental concern has a lesser yet still notable mediating influence. These findings underscore the significance of cognitive mechanisms rather than solely attitudinal considerations in influencing green purchase decisions within emerging market situations. The research enhances theoretical understanding by distinguishing between knowledge-based and concern-based pathways within the Theory of Planned Behavior and enriches green marketing literature by elucidating the combined function of informational and symbolic marketing techniques.
Institutions: Punjabi University, ETH Zurich, Kotebe University of Education
Language: English
Subfield: Marketing
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7166514237