Influence of Environmental Concerns and Moral Obligation on Purchase Intention: Evidence from Cambodia

Abstract

Environmental issues and sustainability have attracted considerable attention. The public have been asked to change their conventional consumption patterns and purchase behaviours. This study expanded the theoretical base of green purchasing by extending the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and essays a comprehensive research framework to identify the antecedents and mediators of green purchase intention (GPI). Smart PLS version 3.2.8 was employed to test the theoretical framework against 314 observations of customers who had bought green products in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The current study extended the framework of the TPB model, in which perceived moral obligation (PMO) is introduced as an antecedent of attitudes towards green products, subjective norms (SN), and perceived behavioural control (PBC) vis-a-vis GPI. The findings reveal that environmental awareness and environmental concerns have a significant and positive influence on SN, PMO, and PBC. They also show that consumers’ PMO has a positive and significant impact on customers’ perceived value, including perceived environmental value and perceived environmental image. Furthermore, SN, PMO, PBC, and customers’ perceived value have a significant effect on attitudes towards green products. Both customer’s attitudes and perceived value have a positive effect on GPI. Theoretical and managerial implications are provided.