Does ‘green’ matter? Understanding consumer behavior toward low-involvement green products

The excessive consumption of low-involvement products constitutes a major environmental challenge since consumers purchase these products with minimal deliberation despite their profound collective environmental impact. Therefore, there is an urgent need to promote the use of low-involvement green products. This study investigates consumer green consumption and whether low-involvement green products can project sufficient green value to stimulate purchase intention. Also, the study examines how consumption visibility and price consciousness moderate the effect of green value. Drawing on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), Theory of Consumption Values (TCV), Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM), and Costly Signaling Theory (CST), the study examines the interplay between green perceived value, consumption visibility, and price consciousness in shaping consumers’ green consumption. Consumer responses towards two low-involvement green products were gathered from a representative sample of 864 respondents. The results showed that green value positively impacted purchase intention, with consumption visibility amplifying the effect of publicly consumed products. On the other hand, price consciousness acted as a negative moderator, suggesting that cost concerns can deter purchase decisions even when positive green attitudes are present. This shows that the purchase decision could be altruistically motivated by environmental consciousness or egoistically motivated by the need for recognition and cost consideration. Understanding this complex interplay allows environmentally conscious businesses to employ strategies to promote sustainable consumer purchasing behavior. Similarly, policymakers can leverage this knowledge to implement regulations or incentives to encourage consumers to choose eco-friendly products.