Green Retail and Consumer Preferences for Sustainable Products

Authors

  • Andi Wahyuni Syam Universitas Cahaya Prima
  • M Nur Rahmat Achdar HT Universitas Cahaya Prima, Bone, Sulawesi Selatan
  • Nasaruddin Universitas Cahaya Prima, Bone, Sulawesi Selatan
  • Anugrahwati Universitas Cahaya Prima, Bone, Sulawesi Selatan
  • Ana Andania Universitas Cahaya Prima, Bone, Sulawesi Selatan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47747/ijmhrr.v7i1.3058

Keywords:

Green Retail, Sustainable Products, Consumer Behavior, Environmental Literacy, Rural Markets

Abstract

This study aims to examine consumers' knowledge, awareness, and behavior regarding green retail and sustainable products in Bone Regency. Using a qualitative approach through in-depth interviews with consumers in rural areas, the study found that consumer literacy regarding sustainable products remains very limited, and many do not even understand the specific meaning of environmentally friendly products. Consumer choices are generally based on price, practicality, and availability, whereas sustainability considerations or green labels are secondary. The influence of social factors, such as family, friends, and the media, on green consumption behavior remains weak. Additionally, access to environmentally friendly labeled products in local markets remains very limited, and higher prices often constitute the primary barrier to adopting sustainable consumption behavior. These findings highlight the need for more practical environmental education, the expansion of the distribution of green products to rural areas, and tangible incentives from the government and businesses to enhance the competitiveness of green products in the local market. This study also recommends collaboration among the government, producers, retailers, and local communities to accelerate changes in consumer behavior and strengthen the green retail ecosystem in rural Indonesia

References

Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), 179–211. https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(91)90020-T

Ali, F. (2023). Corporate Image and Business Performance through Adoption of Green Marketing and Application of Strategies: Case Study on Retail Industry. https://unitesi.unive.it/handle/20.500.14247/10625

Barbu, A., Catană, Ștefan-A., Deselnicu, D. C., Cioca, L.-I., & Ioanid, A. (2022). Factors influencing consumer behavior toward green products: A systematic literature review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(24), 16568. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192416568

Biswas, A., & Roy, M. (2016). A study of consumers’ willingness to pay for green products. Journal of Advanced Management Science, 4(3).

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa

Čapienė, A., Rūtelionė, A., & Krukowski, K. (2022). Engaging in sustainable consumption: Exploring the influence of environmental attitudes, values, personal norms, and perceived responsibility. Sustainability, 14(16), 10290. https://doi.org/10.3390/su141610290

Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches (5th Editio). SAGE Publications.

Damian-Okoro, I. R. P. (2025). Consumer attitudes towards sustainability and eco-friendly products in Nigeria. BW Academic Journal, 2. https://mail.bwjournal.org/index.php/bsjournal/article/view/2883

Gbadegesin, O. A., Komolafe, . O. S., Ayodele-Olajire, D. ., Omotoye, O., & Gbadegesin, A. . (2025). Unmasking Greenwashing: Strengthening Nigeria’s Legal Framework for a Sustainable Green Economy. Green and Low-Carbon Economy. https://doi.org/10.47852/bonviewGLCE52024335.

Gomes, S., Lopes, J. M., & Nogueira, S. (2023). Willingness to pay more for green products: A critical challenge for Gen Z. Journal of Cleaner Production, 390, 136092. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.136092

Hameed, Irfan and Waris, Idrees, Eco Labels and Eco Conscious Consumer Behavior: The Mediating Effect of Green Trust and Environmental Concern (October 31, 2018). Hameed, Irfan and Waris, Idrees (2018): Eco Labels and Eco Conscious Consumer Behavior: The Mediating Effect of Green Trust and Environmental Concern. Published in: Journal of Management Sciences , Vol. 5, No. 2 (2018): pp. 86-105., Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3326736

Hein, N. (2022). Factors influencing the purchase intention for recycled products: Integrating perceived risk into value-belief-norm theory. Sustainability, 14(7), 3877. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14073877

Hossain, I., Nekmahmud, M., & Fekete-Farkas, M. (2022). How do environmental knowledge, eco-label knowledge, and green trust impact consumers’ pro-environmental behaviour for energy-efficient household appliances? Sustainability, 14(11), 6513. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14116513

Iqbal, A., Saraswati, E., T, S., & Tojibussabirin, M. (2024). Green consumption behaviour in Indonesia: exploring the role of government support. Cogent Social Sciences, 10(1), 2439546. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2024.2439546

Johnstone, M.-L., & Tan, L. P. (2015). Exploring the gap between consumers’ green rhetoric and purchasing behaviour. Journal of Business Ethics, 132(2), 311–328. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ausmj.2016.08.001

Joshi, Y., & Rahman, Z. (2017). Investigating the determinants of consumers’ sustainable purchase behaviour. Sustainable Production and Consumption, 10, 110–120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2017.02.002

Katadata Media Network. (2024). Ini Alasan Konsumen Indonesia Beli Produk Berkelanjutan. Katadata.Co.Id. https://databoks.katadata.co.id/produk-konsumen/statistik/8ab50ad7cb35fb6/ini-alasan-konsumen-indonesia-beli-produk-berkelanjutan

Lai, K., Cheng, T. C. E., & Tang, A. K. Y. (2010). Green retailing: factors for success. California Management Review, 52(2), 6–31. https://doi.org/10.1525/cmr.2010.52.2.6

Laroche, M., Bergeron, J., & Barbaro‐Forleo, G. (2001). Targeting consumers who are willing to pay more for environmentally friendly products. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 18(6), 503–520. https://doi.org/10.1108/EUM0000000006155

Lin, S., & Niu, H. (2018). Green consumption: Environmental knowledge, environmental consciousness, social norms, and purchasing behavior. Business Strategy and the Environment, 27(8), 1679–1688. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2233

Pandey, R., Reddy, L. S., Chaudary, V., Widyawati, V. T., Sin, L. G., Bin Mohd Ghazali, M. K. A., Kee, D. M. H., Bin Ibrahim, M. F., Bin Ahmad Fadzeil, M. Z., & Binti Mohamed, N. A. (2021). Analysis the effect of product quality and price on purchase decision (Case study of Adidas India, Indonesia, and Malaysia). International Journal of Accounting & Finance in Asia Pasific, 4(1), 71–85.

Peattie, K. (2010). Green consumption: Behavior and norms. Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 35(1), 195–228. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-environ-032609-094328

Pedersen, L. H. (2000). The dynamics of green consumption: a matter of visibility? Journal of Environmental Policy and Planning, 2(3), 193–210. https://doi.org/10.1002/1522-7200(200007/09)2:3<193::AID-JEPP53>3.0.CO;2-5

Phalke, M. V. S. (2016). A study of green marketing of FMCG products in relation to semi urban consumers. Bharathiya Vidyapeeth University, Pune, India. http://14.139.111.203/moodle/pluginfile.php/1372/mod_resource/content/0/Dr%20Vijay%20S%20Phalke.pdf

Rezai, G., Teng, P. K., Mohamed, Z., & Shamsudin, M. N. (2012). Consumers’ awareness and consumption intention towards green foods. African Journal of Business Management, 6(12), 4496. https://academicjournals.org/journal/AJBM/article-full-text-pdf/57ABBBF37075.pdf

Saini, S. (2023). From Awareness to Action: Unveiling Consumer Perceptions And Influencing Factors In Eco-Friendly Product Claims. International Journal of Advanced Research in Commerce, 181–187.

Schlegelmilch, B. B., Bohlen, G. M., & Diamantopoulos, A. (1996). The link between green purchasing decisions and measures of environmental consciousness. European Journal of Marketing, 30(5), 35–55. https://doi.org/10.1108/03090569610118740

Sharma, K., Aswal, C., & Paul, J. (2023). Factors affecting green purchase behavior: A systematic literature review. Business Strategy and the Environment, 32(4), 2078–2092. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.3237

Sinha, R., & Chaudhuri, R. (2014). Green retailing: environmental strategies of organized retailers and competitive advantage. International Postgraduate Business Journal, 6(1), 115–119. https://repo.uum.edu.my/id/eprint/15802

Stren, P. C. (2000). Toward a coherent theory of environmentally significant behaviour. Journal of Social Issues, 56(3), 407–424.

Testa, F., Pretner, G., Iovino, R., Bianchi, G., Tessitore, S., & Iraldo, F. (2021). Drivers to green consumption: A systematic review. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 23(4), 4826–4880. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-020-00844-5

Thompson, B. (2007). Green retail: Retailer strategies for surviving the sustainability storm. Journal of Retail & Leisure Property, 6(4), 281–286. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.rlp.5100079

TotalRetail. (2024). How Brands Can Win Eco-Conscious Shoppers This Golden Quarter. Mytotalretail.Com. https://www.mytotalretail.com/article/how-brands-can-win-eco-conscious-shoppers-this-golden-quarter/

Velayudhan, S. K. (2024). Rural Marketing: Growing the Non-urban Consumer. Routledge India.

Wei, S., Ang, T., & Jancenelle, V. E. (2018). Willingness to pay more for green products: The interplay of consumer characteristics and customer participation. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 45, 230–238. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2018.08.015

Widyastuti, I. T., Hidayat, D., & Hermawan, A. (2024). Comprehensive Analysis and Literature Review of Green Marketing in Indonesia: Trends, Methods, and Challenges. ECo-Buss, 7(1), 719–730. https://doi.org/10.32877/eb.v7i1.1315

Wijekoon, R., & Sabri, M. F. (2021). Determinants that influence green product purchase intention and behavior: A literature review and guiding framework. Sustainability, 13(11), 6219. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116219

Yadav, R., & Pathak, G. S. (2017). Determinants of consumers’ green purchase behavior in a developing nation: Applying and extending the theory of planned behavior. Ecological Economics, 134, 114–122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2016.12.019

Zameer, H., & Yasmeen, H. (2022). Green innovation and environmental awareness driven green purchase intentions. Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 40(5), 624–638. https://doi.org/10.1108/MIP-12-2021-0457

Zhang, X., & Dong, F. (2020). Why do consumers make green purchase decisions? Insights from a systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(18), 6607. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17186607

Published

2026-01-13

How to Cite

Syam, A. W., HT, M. N. R. A. H., Nasaruddin, N., Anugrahwati, A., & Andania, A. . (2026). Green Retail and Consumer Preferences for Sustainable Products. International Journal of Marketing & Human Resource Research, 7(1), 126 - 145. https://doi.org/10.47747/ijmhrr.v7i1.3058