THE EFFECTS OF RESTAURANT GREEN PRACTICES ON CUSTOMER INTENTION TO PURCHASE ECO-FRIENDLY PRODUCTS: EVIDENCE FROM VIETNAM

Abstract

This research aims to identify how green practices affect customer intention to purchase green products via customers’ emotional attachment. Using the PLS- SEM to analyze 358 restaurant guests to find customer intention to purchase green products is a fundamental constituent of a restaurant’s success. The results reveal that the application of recycling and composting, energy and water management activities have a positive significant impact on customer intention to purchase green products and pro-environmental emotional attachment, and the application of organic food-green products and materials have a significant impact on emotional attachment, but not trigger on customer intention to purchase green products. Meanwhile, the application of eco-friendly supplies did not affect emotional attachment and customer intention to purchase. Pro-environmental emotional attachment is a key mediator of the customer intention model. The results provided both knowledge and theory of green practices by adding customers’ emotional attachment into the theory of planned behavior to understand customer behavior toward green restaurants. It proposes managerial recommendations and building strategies for the long term to increase customer intention to purchase green products in the restaurant industry.