MAJCAFE

Soo-Cheng Chuah
Faculty of Business and Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA

Jiang Lu
Honors College, Beijing Institute of Technology Zuhai

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Abstract

The negative impact on the environment can be reduced by consumers opting for green consumption. Therefore, this study examined the effect of cognitive factors toward green purchase intention through the mediating role of green purchase attitude, as well as toward green purchase behavior among millennials in Malaysia and China. An extended Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) model was applied by considering the cognitive factors of environmental concern, perceived consumer effectiveness, and perceived environmental knowledge accordingly. The model was analyzed via PLSSEM by using the data collected from 183 and 134 Malaysian and Chinese millennials, respectively. The findings revealed that the green purchase intention was positive and significantly driven directly by green purchase attitude for both countries. All three cognitive factors were found to, directly and indirectly, drive the mediating role of green purchase attitudes in the context of Malaysia. In contrast, environmental concern was the only cognitive factor that was directly and significantly related to green purchase attitude. Hence, green purchase intention was a significant factor and measure in predicting green purchase behavior in the model.

Keywords: Environmental concern, Green purchase behavior, Millennials, Perceived consumer effectiveness, Perceived environmental knowledge