Green Marketing Approaches and Their Impact on Consumer Behavior towards the Environment—A Study from the UAE

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to analyze the main green marketing approaches and their impact on consumer behavior towards the environment in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). We reviewed the current consumption patterns of green products using a questionnaire approach. For this study, 359 consumers that used any type of green product were selected in various shopping malls in the UAE. For the assessment of questionnaire responses, measurement models, such as confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and structural equation modeling (SEM) approaches were applied. The findings of the study suggest interesting inferences regarding eco-labeling (EL), green packaging and branding (GPB), green products, premium, and pricing (GPPP), and the environmental concerns and beliefs (ECB) of consumers that affect their perceptions of the environment. Factor analysis provided a goodness of fit for the selected items. It was found that key factors of green marketing, such as EL and GPPP, have a significant positive influence on consumer beliefs towards the environment (CBTE). In addition, environmental concerns and beliefs (ECB) also have a significant and positive influence on CBTE in the UAE. The practical significance of this study is that it will help the progress of the integration of green marketing and consumer behavior theories about the environment. The managerial implications of this study include the provision of significant findings for both domestic and international firms for the promotion of green products through focusing on consumer behavior towards the environment. This study provides important guidelines to boost positive attitudes in society towards green marketing and helps companies develop effective strategies to promote their green products.