Environment preservation is a global concern. Textile industry disposes of chemicals which effects environment and human life (water borne diseases). United Nations develops 17 Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG's) to protect environment. Five SDG's addressing textile industry namely good health and well-being, clean water and sanitation, responsible production and consumption, climate action and life below water. Role of textile industry to achieve SDG's is inevitable. Textile policy of Pakistan 2014-19 confirms that international buyer is concerned about the environment which evidently shows potential of green marketing in textile sector of Pakistan. Green marketing encourages environment friendly marketing practices (product, price, place, promotion). The objective of this study is to integrate the theory of planned behavior and technology acceptance model. Green consumer behavior of textile sector of Pakistan is conceptualized with this extended lens. This study enhances the body of knowledge by conceptualizing green consumer behavior of textile sector through extended model. Practically, this study remains beneficial for marketing professionals and researchers to understand green consumer behavior of textile sector. Success of green marketing is the success of society to curb environmental problems.
TopIntroduction
Environmental preservation is a global concern. Competition among companies across the globe affects natural environment which causes global warming, waterborne diseases, depletion of ozone layer and air pollution etc. Industrialists not safely dispose of their chemicals which contaminate underground water. Unfortunately, pure water is not available to over 844 million people and cause death of 6000 children each day (Organization, 2017). Waterborne diseases affect human lives in world especially in developing countries (Anwar, Lateef, & Siddiqi, 2010).
Environment transformed form fringe to established issue due to media, national and international legislation, pressure groups and radical changes in public opinion about environment (Wagner, 2002). Consumers of this century are more concerned about quality of life on the earth and considered environmentally friendly products than ancestors (Khan & Mohsin, 2017; Krause, 1993). Scholars also reported that consumers having high concerns for environment spend more on environmentally friendly products (Antil, 1984; Shabecoff, 1993). Green marketing develops ecological awareness among consumers which will shift their attention towards environmentally friendly products (Suki & Suki, 2019).
Sustainable Textile Sector
United Nations enforce 17 Sustainable Development Goal’s out of which 5 directly demands attention of textile industry. This industry shall take care of third, sixth, tweveth, thirteenth and fourteenth SDG which embark on good health and well-being, clean water and sanitation, responsible production and consumption, climate action and life below water respectively. The role of textile industry to enforce UNSDG’s is inevitable.
Textile industry contributes 20 percent in overall large-scale manufacturing sector of Pakistan. This sector holds 59 percent pie of exports and provides bread and butter to 40 percent industrial workforce due to its long supply chain (Economic Advisor's Wing Finance Division, 2019). Textile policy 2014-19 of Pakistan confirms that international buyer is concerned about the environment (Ministry of Textile Industry, February 2015), which evidently shows potential of green marketing in Pakistan.
Theory of planned behavior is mostly cited theory in pro-environmental context and technology acceptance model in technology adoption and use. The variables given in technology acceptance model fulfil the basic criteria of inclusion of theory of planned behavior (Ajzen, 2010) and may improve predictive power of the theory. Groening and colleagues (Groening, Sarkis, & Zhu, 2018) provide green marketing consumer level theory review. The review holds frequently used theories in pro-environmental consumer behavior. Scant literature is available on combine use of TPB and TAM to investigate green consumer behavior of textile sector.
More research that delve into aspect of consumer behavior and psychology in the digital economy is deemed necessary (Ling Chang, Ling Tam, & Suki, 2016; Nathan, Fook Chiun, & Suki, 2016; Suki, 2016). Accordingly, the objective of this study is to integrate the theory of planned behavior and technology acceptance model. This study sought to answer the following research questions;
- 1.
Does green attitude towards behavior has significant effect on green consumer intentions?
- 2.
Do green subjective norms have significant effect on green consumer intentions?
- 3.
Do perceive ease of use to purchase green products has significant effect on green attitude towards the behavior?
- 4.
Does perceived usefulness of green products has significant effect on green attitude towards behavior?
- 5.
Do perceive usefulness of green products has significant effect on green consumer intentions?
- 6.
Does perceived ease of use significantly moderate the relationship between green attitude towards the behavior and green consumer intentions?
- 7.
Does perceived ease of use significantly moderate the relationship between green subjective norms and green consumer intentions?