Consumers' socio-demographics influence between purchase intention and actual behavior of environmentally friendly grocery packaging

Abstract

Grocery aisles in the United States provide the shocking realization that plastic packaging dominates the grocery industry. This realization raises the question of whether consumers are purchasing food that is not wrapped in plastic but in environmentally friendly packaging. For some consumers, finding food products wrapped in environmentally friendly packaging is not easy as it is not widely available in many United States grocery stores. This study adapted the Theory of Planned Behavior to investigate the relationship between purchase intention and purchasing behavior toward environmentally-friendly grocery packaging. This quantitative study collected 487 usable responses targeting a population of US consumers over 18 years old who purchase groceries. This study uncovered novel findings. This study supplied a fresh perspective on socio-demographics' role in environmentally friendly consumption, confirming that predominantly younger, unmarried consumers are likelier to act upon their intentions by purchasing environmentally friendly grocery packaging. The hope is that these findings provide marketers with fresh insights into the characteristics of consumers willing to purchase environmentally friendly grocery packaging. Results can also give government agencies and brands a clearer perspective on ways to increase consumers' knowledge of environmentally friendly packaging consumption.