GREEN BEHAVIOR OF SRI LANKAN URBAN CONSUMER -THEORETICAL AND EMPIRICAL APPLICATIONS IN FAST MOVING CONSUMER GOODS (FMCG) SECTOR

Abstract

Green marketing has evolved and has been recognized as a long-term sustainable solution for all such environmental concerns. Production of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) substantially contributes to environmental pollution and creates lots of post-consumption environmental complications. The researcher conducted a pilot study with 100 FMCG consumers and ten in-depth interviews with 10 CEOs of renowned FMCG. Both studies emphasized that consumers still do not execute their green buying intentions, and most companies are not interested in launching green consumer products as there is no commercial demand. Thus, the main purpose of this research study is to discover a proper mechanism to help firms to promote environmentally friendly FMCG products. Five recognized theories and the latest literature were used to develop the conceptual framework. The approach used was purely deductive, and the method will be quantitative. Smart PLS was the statistical tool used in structural equation modeling to validate the hypotheses and measure the model fit. The final validated model suggests that attitude towards green products, Eco literacy, willingness to pay a premium positively influence the green purchase intention, and at the same time, green purchase intention positively influences the green purchase behavior. The model further suggests that Green functional value and Pro-environmental personal norms act as mediating variables in-between green Purchase Intention and Behavior. The researcher believes that marketing practicians will use this model to launch new green products and cultivate green consumerism in the Sri Lankan market.