Research is conducted to analyse the impact of green marketed product on consumer purchase decision and to know what percent of the sample population is aware of green marketing or product manufactured through green process and their attitude towards it.
Major findings are-
* Consumer awareness towards green marketing products is high, a large no.
population approximately 55 percent is aware about green marketing.
* Consumer are ready to pay extra amount for green marketed product as they believe they are manufactured without harming environment which gives them a feeling socially responsible person and at the same time they believe green products are good for health.
Suggestions-
Government can play a very important role in promoting and creating awareness about the green marketing which is equally good for the environment, customer and for producers. Therefore govt. should try to take some necessary action.
Presentation: Farmer-led climate adaptation - Project launch and overview by ...
Impact of Green Marketed Product on Consumer Purchase Decision
1. 2
miNOr prOJect
On
“impact OF greeN marketed prOdUct ON cONsUmer
pUrchase decisiON”
UNder the gUidaNce OF- dr. r.k. lOdhwal
FacUlty OF maNagemeNt stUdies – BaNaras hiNdU UNiversity
prepared By- kUmar gaUrav
mBa 2Nd sem.
rOll NO. 25
2. DECLARATION
I hereby declare that this project work entitled “Impact of Green Marketed Product
on Consumer Purchase Behavior” is my original work, carried out under the
guidance of my faculty guide Dr. R.K. Lodhwal has not been submitted to any other
institute/ university or any organization apart from Faculty of Management Studies
Banaras Hindu University.
Kumar Gaurav
(Signature)
3. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
To acknowledge all the persons who had helped for the fulfillment of the project
is not possible for any researcher but in spite of all that, it becomes a foremost
responsibility of the researcher and also the part of research ethics to
acknowledge those who had played a great role for the completion of the
project.
So in the same sequence at very first, I would like to acknowledge my parents
because of whom I got the existence in the world for the inception and the
conception of this project. Later on I would like to confer the flower of
acknowledgement to Dr. R.K. Lodhwal Sir and other faculty members who
taught me that how to do project through appropriate tools and techniques. And
would also like to thanks my friends who constantly supported me while working
on the project.
Rest all those people who helped me are not only matter of acknowledgement
but also authorized for sharing my success.
Kumar Gaurav
MBA 2nd Sem
Roll No. 25
4. CONTENT
Introduction
Green Marketing
Green Concept
Literature Review
Objective
Hypothesis
Research Methodology
Data Analysis and Interpretation
Conclusion and Findings
Suggestion
Learning
Limitation
Questionnaire
References
5. Introduction
Today the concept of sustainability is almost ubiquitous by showing application
in corporate strategy, consumer choice, student education and academic
research. The need for sustainable business practices by corporations around
the world is identified to be a result of overall increase in the consumer
awareness of lack of environmental protection and social inequities. Over the
last decade environmentalism has emerged to be a vital aspect due to
increasing issues related to acid rains, depletion of the ozone layer, and
degradation of the land and many more pressing environmental issues. This
resulted in increase in consumer concern with regards to restoration of
ecological balance by presenting demands for eco friendly products in countries
around the world. (Doyle 1992; Vandermerwe and Oliff 1990). The research on
environmental consumerism is a well researched topic with the first research
dating back to the 1970s (Henion and Kinnear, 1976). There has been extensive
growth in interest exhibited by marketing academics as well as practitioners with
regard to the impact of marketing on promoting and maintaining ecological
balance (Chammaro et al., 2009; Bhattacharya, 2011). Thereis a great deal of
depletion of non renewable energy resources which accompanied by generation
of non bio degradable pollutants has lead to an increase in consumer and
corporate awareness of green marketing issues.
The basic ideas behind environmentalism dictate that corporations have
responsibilities that go beyond the production of goods and services. These
responsibilities involve helping to solve important social problems, especially
those they have helped create (Buchholz 1991; Porter & Van der Linde 1995;
Peattie, 1995). Corporations such as McDonald’s, Wal-Mart, Procter & Gamble,
and Du Pont acknowledge that the environment must be protected and
enhanced for economic growth to take place, and have taken action
towards that goal. McDonald’s has made a $100 million commitment to its
consumers for recycling purposes. Wall-Mart encourages the purchase of
environmentally friendly products and reports that the green labeling program
that they initiated in 1989 contributed to an overall 25% increase in sales for the
year. Procter & Gamble has pledged to spend $20 million per year to develop a
composting infrastructure. (Lodge and Rayport, 1991).
6. Most of the studies related to green consumerism have been conducted in well
developed countries. It is to be acknowledged that when considered from a
developing country context there is a lack in number of studies. It is against this
backdrop from the above discussion it is quite clear that there is a large
research gap in terms conceptually identifying those areas of consumer
awareness impacting the concept of green marketing.
Green Marketing
According to the American Marketing Association, green marketing is the
marketing of products that are presumed to be environmentally safe. "Green
Marketing" refers to holistic marketing concept wherein the production,
marketing consumption, disposal of products and services happen in a manner
that is less detrimental to the environment. With growing awareness about the
implications of global warming, non-biodegradable solid waste, harmful impact
of pollutants etc., both marketers and consumers are becoming increasingly
sensitive to the need for switch in to green products and services. The shift to
"green" is expensive to look at but still is expected to prove advantageous in the
long run in terms of cost of product.
Polonsky (1994) defines green marketing as .all activities designed to generate
and facilitate any exchanges intended to satisfy human needs or wants, such
that the satisfaction of these needs and wants occurs, with minimal detrimental
impact on the natural environment.
Green Marketing Concept
Many people believe that green marketing is a way to promote or advertise
aspecific product using environmental terms, such as television advertisement,
to announce a type of heaters asnot to cause a shortage of oxygen m but all that
can not be named more than eco-declaration, or green advertising, which
7. forms one components of green marketing, or of the green marketing
claims, therefore, green marketing includes a wider range of organizational
activities, such as; product modification, changes to the production
process, packaging changes m and delivery changes, and more (
Polonsky,2007). In their attempt to define green
marketing, researches and practitioners have addressed several terms relate
with this concept, Praskash (2002), pointed out that he employed the term green
marketing in his survey '' to refer to the strategies to promote products by
employing environmental claims either about their attributes or about the
systems, policies and processes of the firms that manufacture or sell them'',
while (Posonsky,2007), has defined it as '' green or environmental
marketing consist of all activities designed to generate and facilitate any
exchange intended to satisfy human need or wants, such that the
satisfaction of these needs and wants occurs, with minimal detrimental
impact on the natural environment'' Other researchers have defined
environmental marketing as '' the holistic management process responsible for
identifying, anticipating and satisfying the requirement of customers and
society, in a profitable and sustainable way'' (Karna et al, 2001).
Literature Review
The review of literature provided scientific theories and cites various literatures
that were done elsewhere in related green marketing strategies adopted by the
companies which will in turn help to provide foundation for a analysis and
discussion.
According to Ginsberg & Bloom (2004), The first step is to gain rich
understanding on consumer preference towards green marketing i.e., whether
the development of product that has greater selling attribute is better selling
point to target consumers. Various studies have showed that the to know the
target green market segment better, there is need for appropriate individual
consumer tendencies towards green marketing (Fuller, 199 p330-331
Coddington 1993, p.8n99,1;on,83).Various author has proposed different
models to develop strategy that includes the green marketing grid (Grant, 200
p.10,59) and the green marketing strategy,matrix (Ginsbmbgerg& Bloom 2004).
8. Review of the related literature shows that there is not so much research, nor a
unique definition about green marketing approach due to its youngness,
however, what is a common fact among proposed definitions, is fulfilling the
company's goals with the least
damage to living environment and human beings. Following is a number of
definitions being floated on the subject:
Green marketing is a managerial process to identify, foresee and meet
society's and customer needs via a sustainable and profitable procedure.
Green marketing or ecological marketing focuses on all designed activities
to meet human's needs and wants with the least impact on natural
environment.
According to the American Marketing Association (1976), green marketing
is the study of positive and negative aspects of marketing on pollution and
reducing consumption of energy and other scarce resources.
Green marketing or environmental marketing includes all activities that are
designed to facilitate the transactions in order to meet human wants and
needs in a way with the least adverse effects on living environment.
Primary studies on green marketing and about customer interest for green
products was first done by Vandermerwe and Oliff in 1990 . In 1989, a study in
the United States of America indicated that 49 percent of responders have made
changed in their purchase habits for the sake of environment.
According to another research by Callan and Thomas in 1992, 93 percent of
participants stated that environmental consequences
have had a role in their purchasing habits . The results of another research
which was done in developing countries by Peattie in the same year showed
that 75percent of participant’s somehow involved environmental criteria in their
purchasing
responders have made changed in their purchase habits for the sake of
environment. According to another research by Callan and Thomas in 1992, 93
percent of participants stated that environmental consequences have had a role
in their purchasing habits. The results of another research which was done in
developing countries by Peattie in the same year showed that 75
percent of participants somehow involved environmental criteria in their
purchasing.
9. In a study in 1994, Dietz and Stern proved that 42 percent of the British
consumers paid attention to environmental consequences in their purchases
and 27 percent of them had the will to pay 25 percent more than the normal
market prices for environment-friendly products. According to the studies done
by Levinson, 83 percent of customers claimed that they chose environment-friendly
brands and 80 percent concerned the company reputation regarding
environmental protection issues.
10. Objective
The objective of the project is“To study the factors effecting
consumer buying behavior for green products”.
Hypothesis
There is significant difference in attitude, purchase intention and actual purchase
behavior of consumer for green marketed product.
11. Research Methodology
Research Design- Descriptive
Sampling Technique- Judgmental Sampling
Sample Size- 100
Area- Varanasi
Time Period- 1month(March-13)
Data Collection Method- Personally Administered
Survey
12. Data Analysis and Interpretation
Table 1.Demographic profile of Respondent with mean score (N=100)
Age % Monthly Income % Edu. Qualification Gender
15-20 22 0-5 30 Illiterate 0 Male-
20-25 35 5-10 10 Undergraduate 24 68
25-30 20 10-20 12 Postgraduate 48
Above 30 23 20-30 28 Secondary
Level
20 Female -
32
Above 40 20 Other 8
Table 1 depict the demographic information of the respondents which reveal that
22%of the population comes under the age group of 15-20 and majority falls
under the age group 20-25 i:e 35% .
Table 2. Are you aware of “green products” or Eco-friendly products?
Response %
Yes 55
No 31
A little 14
13. Table 2 shows that 55% of the target population know about the green
marketing and 14% have a little information about green market, information like
Some say that they heard about green marketing while a few said they seen
advertisement of green marketing once or twice.
TABLE 3. How you became aware of “green products” or Eco-friendly products?
Source of Awareness %
Television 45
Magazines 12
Class lectures 28
Newspapers 3
Others 2
As figure shows that majority of people’s source of awareness about green
marketing is Television through advertising i:e 45% after that class lecture is the
source of information i:e 28%.
TABLE 4. If green features increase the price of the product, are you willing to
pay more?
Rating Scale %
Strongly Agree 19
Agree 38
Neutral 15
Disagree 17
Strongly Disagree 11
The figure shows that 38% of the consumer are agree to pay a higher price for
green products which is a good sign companies offering green products or the
14. companies which are deciding to go green in future a few consumer are there
who disagree to pay higher products for green products.
TABLE 5. Do you think there is enough information about “green” features
when you buy the product?
Rating Scale %
Strongly Agree 20
Agree 23
Neutral 17
Disagree 28
Strongly Disagree 12
Figure shows that consumer are not satisfied with the information about green
feature when they buy the products. So here the point where companies need
to focus because total 40 out of 100 including disagree of strongly disagree
available consumer are dissatisfied with the information available about green
features of product.
TABLE 6 What is the main reason that makes you willing to pay more for the
“green” products?
Reason for Purchase %
Enhance a quality of life 22
Environmental protection responsibility 32
Potential increase of product value 24
Getting high level of satisfaction 22
Figure shows that all the given reason are almost equally responsible for paying
higher price for the product by the consumer. But still majority of 32% of people
15. are paying higher for green product to ensure environmental protection
responsibility.
TABLE 7. What is the main reason that makes you not willing to pay more for
the “green” products?
Not Paying because %
Cannot see the benefit of those features 23
Product cost is too high, cannot afford them 29
Producers only claim, actually it is not 34
Government should pay for them 14
The majority of the 34% consumer who are not willing to pay higher prices for
the green product believe that producer only claim that it is green product but in
reality it is not and second most 29% believe that product cost is too high and
the cannot afford it. It is the major challenge in front of the companies to produce
green product at a lower price.
TABLE 8. Are you aware about the advantages of green marketing products?
Response %
Yes 45
No 37
A little 18
45% of the total targeted population are aware about the green products
advantages and 37 are still unaware about its advantages. These unaware
buyer are those who are not into the habit of using it or never used green
product.
16. TABLE 9. Why do you think green marketing is in headlines nowadays?
Reason %
Consumers are being aware of green products 34
Company increasing its competitive edge 39
Company’s attempt to address society’s new concern 27
The majority of the 39% of total targeted population thinks that increasing
competition in the market is the reason because of which green marketing is in
headlines these days.
TABLE 10. Which marketing element strongly influences your buying behavior
of green products?
Reason %
Product 36
Package 15
Place 15
Promotion 34
Product itself is the most important reason which influences the 36% consumer
purchase decision towards green product. After that promotion through
advertising and other resource is the responsible factor influencing consumer to
purchase green product. Thus product quality and promotion are the two most
important factor which companies need to focus on instead of any other things.
17. TABLE 11.In your opinion is green marketing is more effective then regular
marketing?
Rating Scale %
Strongly Agree 20
Agree 33
Neutral 17
Disagree 16
Strongly Disagree 14
It is the question which primarily comes in the mind when companies think for
green marketing whether it would be effective than regular marketing or not. Yes
it would be because majority of 53% people out of 100 believe that green
marketing is more effective that regular marketing. Its creates positive image in
the mind of the customer that company is socially responsible and producing
eco friendly products.
TABLE 12.Do you think government should take initiative in making companies
to go green?
Rating Scale %
Strongly Agree 31
Agree 23
Neutral 12
Disagree 21
Strongly Disagree 13
Table 12 clearly depicts that most of the people believe that government should
take initiative in making companies to go green because natural resources are
depleting at a faster pace so it is the duty of the government to take corrective
actions.
18. TABLE 13. Do you think it is difficult for all the companies to implement green
marketing?
Rating Scale %
Strongly Agree 32
Agree 25
Neutral 13
Disagree 18
Strongly Disagree 12
As figure shows that 32% of the people believes that it is difficult for all that
companies to implement green marketing because small companies revenue
doesn’t allow them to invest in this area.
19. Findings and Conclusions
Consumers awareness towards green marketing is high
Consumers have expressed strong concerns about the concept of green
marketing and companies going green. Apart from this, consumers are well
aware of the fact that the productivity of companies can be drastically improved.
People are aware of green environment because it is less detrimental to the
environment and companies can look into implementation of this concept for
betterment of business. From the results of data analysis given in Table 12 we
can infer that the role of government plays a vital role in green marketing. As far
as initiation of green marketing is concerned everyone are responsible for green
marketing. If we analyze the facts pertaining to green marketing the significant
results are positive at one end. On other end, consumers say that it is difficult for
all the companies to implement green marketing. Environmental education
refers to organized efforts to teach about how natural environments function and
particularly how human beings can manage their behavior and ecosystems in
order to live sustainably.
Consumers attitude towards purchase of green product is high
As far as green product is concerned the consumers strongly expressed that
they are familiar with green product and shown interest to buy green marketed
product and as shown in table no.4 that consumer are ready to pay higher price
for green product over normal product. And they also believe that green product
has higher quality and generate a sense of responsibility among consumer and
marketer towards the society.
Consumer purchasing green product because they believe that they are higher
in quality as compared to normal product indirectly inferred from the table 10.
And the consumer who are not ready to pay higher prices for the green product
are generally because they are more expensive that normal product so here is
the need to manufacture more and more green products to reduce its cost.
20. In India, at present situation is concerned the transition from regular marketing
to green brand is difficult because companies do not have that much value so
that they produce green product and sell at reasonable price because it incurs
huge cost in following green practices but there are few companies who are
following these practice. And most of the consumers realize the importance of
green branding which means that there is a positive sign for betterment of the
environment as well as for business.
21. Suggestions
Companies should try to manufacture green products as consumers
awareness is increasing with the time and it will help in betterment of
business.
Cost should be reduced to increase green product reach i:e to the people
with lower income.
Quality should be maintained because consumer believe that green
product quality is more than the normal goods.
22. Learnings
The project helped me think pro actively on a topic of interest.
Talking to people and understanding their perception was an enriching
experience.
The purchasing behaviors of Indian consumer align with their global counterparts
thus I have been able to map this phenomenon in global context.
Limitations
A convenience sample was used for the data collection which makes the result no readily
generalizable. Although great effort was put in to get a sample which include people from
different demographics.
This study is only conducted in Varanasi region. So it is very difficult to determine whether it
can be extended to a larger population outside this region.
This study is not product specific. This study is conducted only to understand the perception
of consumers about green product as a whole.
Personal bias of the respondent while answering the question may have skewed the result
slightly. Although an effort has been made to verify the result through all sorts of possible
analysis applicable to this research.
23. Questionnaire on Impact of Green Marketed Production Consumer
Purchase Decision: Confidential for academic purpose
1. Name …………………………….
2. Gender a. Male b. Female
3. Age
a. 15-20 b 20-25 c. 25-30 d. 30 &above
4. Education Qualification:
a. Illiterate b. Undergraduate c. Postgraduate d. d.Secondary Level
e. Other
5. Monthly Income(in thousands)
a. 0-5 b. 5-10 c. 10-20 d. 20-30 e. Above 40
6. Are you aware of “green products” or Eco-friendly products?
a. Yes b. No c. A little
7. How you became aware of “green products” or Eco-friendly products?
a. Television
b. Magazines
c. Class lectures
d. Newspapers
e. Others
8. If green features increase the price of the product, are you willing to pay more?
a. Strongly Agree
b. Agree
c. Neutral
d. Disagree
e. Strongly Disagree
9. Do you think there is enough information about “green” features when you buy the product?
24. a. Strongly Agree
b. Agree
c. Neutral
d. Disagree
e. Strongly Disagree
10. What is the main reason that makes you willing to pay more for the “green” products?
a. Enhance a quality of life
b. Environmental protection responsibility
c. Potential increase of product value
d. Getting high level of satisfaction
11. What is the main reason that makes you not willing to pay more for the “green” products?
a. Cannot see the benefit of those features
b. Product cost is too high, cannot afford them
c. Producers only claim, actually it is not
d. Government should pay for them
12. Are you aware about the advantages of green marketing products?
a. Yes b. No c. A little
13. Why do you think green marketing is in headlines nowadays?
a. Consumers are being aware of green products
b. Company increasing its competitive edge
c. Company’s attempt to address society’s new concern
14. Which marketing element strongly influences your buying behavior of green products?
a. Product
b. Package
c. Place
d. Promotion
e. All of the above
15. In your opinion is green marketing is more effective then regular marketing?
a. Strongly Agree
b. Agree
25. c. Neutral
d. Disagree
e. Strongly Disagree
15. Do you think government should take initiative in making companies to go green?
a. Strongly Agree
b. Agree
c. Neutral
d. Disagree
e. Strongly Disagree
16. Do you think it is difficult for all the companies to implement green marketing?
a. Strongly Agree
b. Agree
c. Neutral
d. Disagree
e. Strongly Disagree
26. References
Polonsky , Michael Jay, “An Introduction to Green Marketing”, Electronic
Green Journal,1994 (http://escholarship.org/uc/item/49n325b7)
Coddington, Walter. 1993. Environmental Marketing: Positive Strategies
for Reaching the Green Consumer. New York: McGraw-Hill Inc.
Davis, Joel J. 1993. "Strategies for Environmental Advertising." Journal of
Consumer Marketing 10 (2): 19-36.
Polonsky, Michael (2007). An introduction to green marketing, electronic
green journal,Vol.1. Issue 2.
Olson, E.G. (2008), Creating an Enterprise-Level „Green “Strategy, in:
Journal of Business Strategy, Vol. 29, No. 2, pp. 22-30