Exploring the Gap Between Consumers’ Green Rhetoric and Purchasing Behaviour

Abstract

Why do consumers who profess to be concerned about the environment choose not to buy greener products more regularly or even at all? This study explores how consumers’ perceptions towards green products, consumers and consumption practices (termed green perceptions) contribute to our understanding of the discrepancy between green attitudes and behaviour. This study identified several barriers to ethical consumption behaviour within a green consumption context. Three key themes emerged from the study, ‘it is too hard to be green’, ‘green stigma’ and ‘green reservations’. There is currently a perception, based on a number of factors, that it is too hard to be green, which creates a barrier to purchasing green products. Furthermore, some consumers were reluctant or resistant to participate in green consumption practices due to their unfavourable perceptions of green consumers and green messages. This article suggests that green perceptions may influence consumers’ intention to purchase green products. Accordingly, it discusses the implications, and suggests avenues for future research.

Appendices

Appendix 1

Focus Group Participants

Code	Gender	Age	Occupation
Focus group one
FG1F1	F	23–30	Homemaker
FG1F2	F	30–34	Engineer
FG1F3	F	40–54	Public policy analyst
FG1F4	F	40–54	Artist
FG1F5	F	40–54	Medical anthropologist
FG1F6	F	40–54	Self-employed
FG1F7	F	40–54	Housewife
FG1M	M	40–49	Trade union organiser
Focus group two
FG2F1	F	40–54	Early childhood relief teacher
FG2F2	F	45–49	Homemaker
FG2F3	F	65+	Retired scientist
FG2F4	F	70+	Retired
FG2F5	F	70+	Retired
FG2M1	M	55–59	House painter
FG2M2	M	55–64	IT
Focus group three
FG3F1	F	23–29	Policy analyst
FG3F2	F	30–39	Accountant
FG3F3	F	55–64	Unemployed—previously vet nurse
FG3F4	F	55–59	Administrator
FG3F5	F	65+	Retired librarian
FG3F6	F	70+	Retired teacher
FG3M	M	40–49	Homemaker (previously engineer)
Focus group four
FG4F1	F	40–49	Receptionist
FG4F2	F	40–54	Office support
FG4F3	F	50–54	Auditor
FG4F4	F	55–59	Nurse
FG4F5	F	55–59	Contract teacher
FG4F6	F	55–59	Homemaker
FG4F7	F	65–69	Retired insurance analyst
Focus group five
FG5F1	F	30–39	Homemaker
FG5F2	F	40–49	Research MAF
FG5F3	F	40–49	Unemployed—previously admin
FG5F4	F	40–49	Tour guide
FG5F5	F	60–64	Receptionist
FG5F6	F	60–64	Administrator
FG5F7	F	65+	Retired administrator
Focus group six
FG6F1	F	23–29	Finance
FG6F2	F	23–29	Policy analyst
FG6F3	F	31–40	Procurement specialist
FG6F4	F	40–49	Policy advisor
FG6F5	F	50–59	Communications advisor
FG6F6	F	60–64	Tutor
FG6F7	F	70+	Retired researcher
FG6M	M	23–29	Postgraduate student
Focus group seven
FG7F1	F	20–23	Undergraduate student
FG7F2	F	20–23	Undergraduate student
FG7F3	F	20–23	Postgraduate student
FG7F4	F	20–23	Undergraduate student
FG7F5	F	20–23	Undergraduate student
FG7M1	M	20–23	Undergraduate student
FG7M2	M	20–23	Postgraduate student

Appendix 2

Moderator’s Guide: Broad Outline and Structure

• 1. Introduction

• 2. Warm-up/ice-breaker exercises

  • Define household products

  • Exercise #1

    • Which of these products do you usually purchase?

    • Provide samples of environmentally friendly (EF) and conventional (non-EF) laundry detergent and stacks of cards with brand names.

• 3. Discussion part one: What encourages or discourages consumers from purchasing environmentally friendly household products?

  • Why do you purchase these brands (Exercise #1)?

    • Probe: experiences, perceptions.

  • Why do you think other people use/do not use these products?

  • What would encourage you/other people to buy environmentally friendly household products?

• 4. Discussion part two: What are consumers’ perceptions of being green? What are consumers’ perceptions of the terms “green”/environmentally friendly?

  • Exercise #2

    • Hand out some samples of soaps (EF and non-EF) and answer sheets.

    • If this brand was a person, what type of person would he/she be?

    • What type of characteristics would they have?

      • Probe: What makes you think this?

  • Focus on EF products:

    • Explore current perceptions, and why. What are their experiences?

    • Explore how EF products are currently promoted/packaged?

  • What does being “environmentally friendly” mean?

  • Does it mean the same thing as “green”?

  • Being environmentally friendly/green.

    • How easy/difficult?

    • What makes it easy/difficult?

      • Probe: perceptions—how are these being shaped? Past experience?

  • Green consumers: [draw person on whiteboard]…

    • Describe characteristics, traits, consumption behaviour.

  • What would encourage people to become more environmentally friendly?

• 5. Discussion part three: What are the perceptions of product packaging?

  • Exercise #3

    • Pass around the table a variety of household dishwashing detergents.

    • On answer sheets: Write some key factors along each product.

  • Which ones do you consider to be environmentally friendly?

    • What factors helped you to decide this?

    • Why do you think these are more/less environmentally friendly?

    • Probes: Terminology, packaging, familiarity.

  • What are your impressions of these products?

    • Probe: easy to understand, performance perceptions.

  • What factors make household products environmentally friendly?

    • Probe level of greenness.

• 6. Debriefing & closing