Understanding the Dynamics of consumer behaviour and purchase intentions for Green Cosmetic Products in North India: A Gender-Neutral Approach

2.1 Product Knowledge (PKN)

When shopping for goods, customers tend to compare factors such as quality, price, and utility before making a purchase decision (Peattie, 2010). This is especially true for shopping for goods, which requires more effort from consumers to seek information and understand the product. Green cosmetic products come under the category of these goods. This rational approach to product information means that consumers are less likely to refuse to buy green products based solely on their attitudes (Quester & Lin Lim, 2003). However, convenience goods, which are low-value and frequently purchased, may be subject to attitude bias or brand loyalty when it comes to choosing green alternatives. Researchers have studied the influence of product knowledge regarding green cosmetic products on environmental concerns to understand consumer purchase behaviour. The hypothesis is set accordingly, and a multi-group analysis is done among male and female consumers.

2.2. Perceived Behavioural Control (PBC)

When it comes to personal care (Gadema & Oglethorpe, 2011) and cosmetic products (Richter, 2010), many consumers prioritize green and environmentally-friendly options. However, implementing a green purchasing lifestyle can be difficult. One factor affecting consumer behaviour is perceived behavioural control (PBC), which refers to the belief that one has the necessary resources and sufficient opportunities to positively carry out a desired purchase behaviour (Ajzen, 1991). PBC emphasizes situational constraints, similar to self-efficacy and barriers (Ajzen, 2002). Unfortunately, many studies do not specify the constraints or barriers that hinder consumers from making green choices. Instead, respondents are often asked direct questions regarding the ease or difficulty of performing a certain action, leaving room for interpretation. In this context, we believe that perceived behavioral control is closely related to consumer purchasing behaviour. Therefore, we suggest hypotheses 3 and 4.

2.3. Environment Concerns (EC)

The growing concern for the environment has led to a rise in demand for green cosmetics. These products are preferred for their natural ingredients, green buying behaviour, and positive impact on the environment (Bamberg, 2003). Researchers argue that the consumers who prioritise green cosmetics are conscious of environmental issues and seek to understand the origin of raw materials used in the products they purchase (Balderjahn, 1988; Chenery, 2004; Oyewole, 2001). Consumers opt for those cosmetic products that do not contribute to pollution and have fewer carbon footprints (Bamberg, 2003). The ingredients of a cosmetic product play a significant role in determining its popularity among environmentally aware consumers; this trend is commonly referred to as environmental awareness (S. Kim & Seock, 2009).

2.4. Purchase Intentions (PI)

Purchase intentions refer to an individual consumer’s willingness to be involved in buying behaviour, which reflects their concern for the product and its quality. This is considered to be a significant factor that influences their behaviour. Many researchers say purchase intentions for green cosmetic products are affected by consumers’ likelihood of purchasing other green cosmetic products (Chen & Chang, 2012). On the other hand, he argues that it reflects the consumer’s desire to protect or preserve the environment by purchasing green products (Rojšek, 2001). (Fraj & Martinez, 2007) suggests that green cosmetic product purchase intentions can be measured by considering purchasing green products, switching to green brands, and choosing a green product version. However, researchers have not reached a consensus on how product knowledge affects green purchase intentions.

2.5. Subjective Norms (SN)

Subjective norm is the pressure that an individual consumer perceives from society to perform a specific behaviour. When consumers believe that others highly regard organic skin care products, they are more likely to intend to purchase these items. Research has demonstrated that subjective norm significantly impacts the intention to manage skin effectively (Hillhouse et al., 2000). Moreover, studies on green consumer behaviour have revealed a strong correlation between subjective norms and the purchase intention of consumers (Bamberg, 2003; Kalafatis et al., 1999).

Theoretical framework

Using a gender-neutral approach, a comprehensive theoretical framework is required to understand the dynamics of consumer behaviour and purchase intents for green cosmetic items in North India. The Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1991) serves as the foundation for this study, which looks into how people’s intentions to buy green cosmetics are shaped by their views toward the products, social factors, and perception of their control over the purchasing process. The theory behind this research is that attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control influence intentions and subsequent behavior. This study tries to examine how gender-neutral marketing and messaging techniques may lessen gender biases in the context of green cosmetics use. This is achieved by incorporating insights from the Gender Schema Theory (Fornell & Larcker, 1981), which clarifies how societal gender norms and schemas influence individuals’ perceptions and behaviors. Moreover, in light of the increasing significance of sustainability and environmental awareness in consumer choice, ideas from the literature on green marketing (Peattie, 2010) and will be utilized to analyze how eco-friendly or green attributes, labelling, and messaging influence the consumers’ perceptions and preferences for green cosmetic products. This theoretical framework integrates psychological, sociological, and marketing perspectives to offer a holistic understanding of the factors driving consumer behaviour and purchase intentions for green cosmetics in North India while accounting for gender-neutral considerations.

Factors affecting consumers’ purchase intention, and purchase behaviour: A PLS-SEM Model

One of the more advanced modelling techniques, partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM), is frequently required to properly comprehend the intricate and multifaceted elements influencing consumers’ purchasing intention and conduct. Using this technique, researchers can investigate the intricate relationships that exist between several factors, such as perceived value, product attributes, social impact and brand image. With PLS-SEM, researchers can determine the direct and indirect effects of these attributes on customers’ actual purchasing behaviour and intentions. These findings provide significant insights that organizations can use to improve customer satisfaction and marketing tactics. These models provide an advanced understanding of the dynamic mechanisms affecting consumer decisions in the modern economy. The model’s initial output is called the measurement model.

Measurement Model

Using SPPS 23, an EFA was carried out to lower the construct’s variable count prior to SEM analysis. The author used varimax rotation and set the latent root criterion to 1.0 for including factors. The author also set a cut-off of 0.70 for factor inclusion and factor loading. Table 2 confirms that all factor loading values in the proposed model were above the recommended minimum of 0.7, meaning the items in the construct had high loading. These results show that the model was a suitable explanation for the dimensionality (Vinodkumar & Bhasi, 2009;Shook et al., 2004). All the constructs’ Cronbach Alpha levels were significant (>0.70), indicating that the model is reliable (Shook et al., 2004;Chin et al., 2018). According to Table 2, it is confirmed that all six factors have sufficient convergent validity since each latent variable has a CR above 0.70 and an AVE above 0.50, which surpasses the required cut-off criteria for both CR and AVE values (Chin et al., 2018). In each case, the AVE of each latent variable was larger than the squared correlation coefficient that corresponded with it. This demonstrates that the constructs are distinct and explained well by their measurement scales. As a result, authors have ensured convergence and discriminant validity, which is suitable for our measurement scale (Fornell & Larcker, 1981;Yu & Lee, 2019).

Discriminant validity Analysis

The Discriminant validity of the EC, PBC, PKN, and SN in relation to PB and PI in the measurement scale implies that each construct is perceived differently and does not have high correlations. This means that respondents react differently to each construct. Table 3 shows values less than 0.8, which indicates that the HTMT criterion supports the existence of discriminant validity in the responses received for the measurement scale. Furthermore, the Discriminant validity of the present measurement scale, which measures the PB and PI of consumers for green cosmetic products, is evaluated using the Fornell Larcker criteria. This involves comparing the square root of the AVE of each construct with its correlation with all other constructs in the measurement model. The square root of the AVE is displayed on the main diagonal of the table, and the correlation between the constructs is displayed in the remaining cells. The result reveals that the square root of the AVE of individual constructs is more than its relationship with the other construct in the present measurement model. This confirms the presence of discriminant validity of the present measurement model.

Factors affecting consumers’ purchase intention and purchase behaviour across gender: Multi-Group Analysis

To assess variations based on the gender of the consumers, a Multi-Group Analysis was conducted. A non-parametric test was also performed to understand and study the changes in the relationship between the models specifically based on the gender features of the respondents. Table 4 presents the path values of two groups of male and female consumers, along with the differences within the group and their respective p-values, as suggested by (Henseler & Ringle, 2009). The PMGA (Private Multi-Group Aggregation) displays the significance of group differences from PLS-SEM using p-values, shown in Table 5.

Based on the sample collected from the male and female respondents, it was seen in the results that the two groups had a notable difference in the connection between the perceived behavioural control and purchase intentions of female and male consumers. Additionally, there is a significant difference in the purchase behaviour and intentions between female and male respondents. However, gender did not impact the correlation between environment concerns, subjective norms, perceived behaviour control and product knowledge to purchase green cosmetic products. Table 6 displays the results.

The study’s first objective involved identifying variables from the systematic literature review related to the constructs present in the TPB. All the articles referred to in the study were from Scopus-listed journals, web of Science, Research Gate, Emerald Insight and Google Scholar and a gap was identified among them. As part of the second objective, we utilized the TPB and SEM ( Figure 2) to understand the connection between the variables that affected the purchase intentions and purchasing behaviour of consumers toward green cosmetic products specific to the respondents’ gender. SEM was used to test relevant hypotheses in Smart PLS 3.0 to determine if the relationships between variables were significant. The final model to understand the purchase intentions of male and female consumers was created based on hypothesis testing. Environment Concerns did not significantly impact purchase intention, while product knowledge, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control positively impacted purchase intention for green cosmetics. The study found that knowledge about a green product directly impacted a person’s environmental concern, but it did not influence their intention to purchase green cosmetics. However, it was found that having an intention to purchase green cosmetic products had a significant and positive impact on the actual purchase behaviour of the individuals.

Figure 2. Structural model constructed using smart PLS.

Source: Author’s Data analysis.

About the third objective, it can be noted that perceived behavioural control and subjective norms have a positive and significant influence on the purchase behaviour towards green cosmetic products for both males and females. However, it was found that environmental concerns do not significantly impact consumers’ purchase intentions toward green cosmetic products. Therefore, it can be inferred that there are no substantial differences between males and females concerning their purchase intentions and the factors that influence them. The last objective was to develop the purchase intentions of the consumers and their purchase behaviour model towards green cosmetic products. Modelling details are presented in Figure 2, and Table 7 explains the relationship between variables.

Research reveals several significant elements that impact the purchasing decisions of both male and female consumers regarding green cosmetic goods. Particularly for male consumers, it was discovered that their opinions on green cosmetics, product knowledge, and subjective standards were all favourably correlated with their purchase intentions. Remarkably, their inclinations to purchase were not significantly influenced positively by environmental concerns.

Our study found that female customers’ inclinations to buy green cosmetics were positively connected with attitudes, subjective norms and product knowledge. Similar to their male colleagues, their purchasing intentions were unaffected directly by environmental concerns. However, product knowledge was crucial in predicting how they felt about environmental issues, similar to the findings for male consumers. These studies demonstrate the significance of factors such as attitudes, subjective norms, and product knowledge in affecting the purchase intentions of both male and female consumers. It is argued that societal norms and product-related factors have a substantial impact even when they do not directly influence purchasing decisions. When it came to green cosmetics, there were no appreciable differences between male and female consumers’ intentions or buying habits.

Theoretical Implication

Significant theoretical ramifications flow from the study’s findings, which provide a gender-neutral perspective on the dynamics of consumer behaviour and purchase intentions for green cosmetic items in North India. By applying the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), the research elucidates the complex interrelationships among diverse factors that impact purchasing intentions, with a particular focus on gender-specific subtleties. Subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, product knowledge, and environmental concerns did not significantly influence purchase intention; nevertheless, they were key factors. Notably, product knowledge did not directly influence purchase intentions, even though it favourably increased environmental concerns. This highlights the intricate relationship between the creation of intentions and knowledge acquisition. The study also shows that intention to buy green cosmetics influences actual purchase behaviour in a considerable way, closing the gap between intention and behaviour. These results highlight intention’s critical role in behaviour prediction and shed light on the varying effects of variables on buying intentions across genders, which helps to improve theoretical frameworks like TPB.

Managerial Implication

From a management perspective, the report provides useful information to businesses involved in North India’s green cosmetics industry. Through the identification of the variables impacting consumer behaviour and purchase intents, companies can create more specialised marketing campaigns. The significant positive influence of subjective standards and perceived behavioural control on purchasing decisions suggests the significance of social influences and personal empowerment. The study also demonstrates that purchasing intentions are not significantly influenced by environmental concerns. This means that businesses should focus on enhancing consumer awareness of their products and fostering favourable perceptions of green cosmetics to boost demand. This demonstrates how critical it is to start public awareness campaigns and educational initiatives to raise consumer understanding of environmental challenges and the benefits of eco-friendly products. By including these insights in their strategy, companies can strengthen their competitiveness and market positioning in the expanding green cosmetics industry. This will help promote environmentally responsible behaviour and sustainable consumption patterns.

Limitations and future direction of the study

Limitations of the study

While this study provided valuable insights into the dynamics of consumer behaviour and purchase intentions towards green cosmetic products in North India, several limitations should be acknowledged. Firstly, the research focused solely on North India, limiting the generalizability of findings to other regions. Additionally, the study employed a cross-sectional design, which may not capture changes in consumer behaviour over time. In addition, the use of self-reported data raises the possibility of social desirability bias, which could affect response accuracy. Future research should consider longitudinal methodologies and a broader geographic scope to improve the generalizability of outcomes.

Future directions

Further research should investigate several paths to gain a deeper understanding of consumer behaviour regarding green cosmetic goods, building on the findings of this study. First, it might be insightful to look into how cultural influences affect how consumers feel and act toward eco-friendly items. A fuller understanding of the sustainability trends in the cosmetics business could be obtained by using longitudinal research to monitor changes in consumer preferences and behaviours over time. Also, qualitative research techniques like focus groups and interviews may offer a more in-depth understanding of the underlying motives influencing consumer decisions. Future studies can deepen our understanding of how consumers behave toward eco-friendly cosmetics and provide guidance for sustainable marketing and product development tactics by exploring these pathways.