Determining Sustainable Purchase Behavior for Green Products from Name-Brand Shops: A Gen Z Perspective in a Developing Country

Abstract

Over the years, the overconsumption of natural resources has been an issue of concern. Companies have been inducing sustainable practices and approaches to help the environment. By specifically applying the sustainability theory of planned behavior, this study sought to extensively investigate behavioral preference and intention to buy green and sustainable products across name-brand businesses in a developing country. Utilizing Structural Equation Modeling, this study examined responses from 300 valid participants. The results revealed that consumers’ purchasing preferences and intentions are affected by customer expectation for the products, by the government, and by customer concern for the environment. It was seen that customers are prepared to pay extra for name-brand stores that sell eco-friendly or sustainable goods. In accordance, consumers’ purchase intentions are greatly affected by the customer preference or expectation for a product, as the findings indicate that customer-perceived value has the highest influential and consequential relationship to behavioral purposes. Customers are inclined to purchase eco-friendly goods if the sustainable product meets the requirements and expectations of the consumer. Furthermore, consumers’ purchasing intentions in buying green products from name-brand shops are also affected by the government, individuals’ environmental concerns and awareness, individuals’ personal needs and beliefs, society, and individual attitudes. For name-brand stores, consumers’ behavioral intentions to purchase environmentally friendly and sustainable goods are the most strongly associated with their perception of their own value, followed by perceived authority support and perceived environmental concern. The findings and results of this study can be relevant in understanding and exploring consumers’ behavioral intentions to purchase green products from name-brand shops.

1. Introduction

Global economic growth has led to resource abuse and ecological inequality, which has resulted in a host of environmental and ecological issues during the past few decades [1]. Environmental concerns and problems have become a priority of the people and the media, attracting global awareness from scholars and business managers, which has led to multiple sustainable practices by people and businesses [2]. According to a poll conducted by Smith [3], globally, China has the highest percentage of engaged individuals who lead sustainable lifestyles and express greater concern about the sustainability of products than they did a year ago. By contrast, the United States’ rate at 67% was the lowest. Consumers nowadays have begun prioritizing sustainability and adapting to a sustainable lifestyle that would help the environment [4]. A total of sixteen thousand respondents worldwide participated in a 2022 survey, indicating that 51% proclaimed that they currently place more importance on environmental sustainability than in the prior year [5]. Moreover, consumers have become more socially mindful when buying clothing and products from name-brand shops, which has made consumers practice sustainability, such as purchasing second-hand products or refurbished products, fixing items instead of purchasing new ones, and choosing products from name-brand shops that have sustainable value [6].

In the Philippines, consumers also practice sustainability to help conserve the environment and limit the use of natural resources. Research shows an increase in Filipino consumers who support eco-friendly products and prefer to purchase brands that lessen harmful impacts on the planet compared to previous years [7]. In 2022, Filipinos were highly concerned regarding environmental sustainability. It was seen that 78% of respondents claimed that people who adopted sustainable shopping habits in the earlier years decreased their consumption of single-use plastics [8]. Additionally, approximately 75% of Filipino consumers and buyers actively sought brands that marketed eco-friendly products in order to decrease harmful environmental impacts and help sustain the environment [9]. Despite all the sustainable practices Filipino consumers engage in, the Philippines was rated 158th out of 180 nations in the 2022 Environmental Performance Index, which measures the advancement of improving environmental health and decreasing climate change [10]. According to Cubio [11], the Philippines has notable shops that practice sustainability; Bambike, Kayawan Ph, Jacinto, Lirio, and Bazura Bags are just a few local name-brand shops from the Philippines. Furthermore, Juan [12] clarified that the Philippines is surrounded by local shops that practice sustainability, such as Echo Store, Human Nature, Katha Lifestyle Store, and 46 more name-brand shops mentioned in the article.

The Philippines has evidently been promoting the use of renewable energy [13,14,15], transportation [16], and even logistics [17,18]. Nonetheless, studies such as that of Soomro et al. [19] and Majhi [20] expressed how government support should be evident in establishing green consumer behavior. Moreover, Ling et al. [21] highlighted the need for assessing this behavior for the purposes of providing a generalized outlook among different cultures—creating motivation to provide a benchmark study in the Philippines. For businesses to proliferate sustainable practices, the need to understand green consumer behavior is therefore needed.

Purchasing sustainable products is one of the practices that helps conserve the environment and solve the depleting resources that our generation faces. Sustainable products implement new technologies or substitute essential components with entirely new ones that significantly decrease the product’s environmental impact [22]. According to Cyprus [23], a product is considered sustainable if the product does not exhaust natural, nonrenewable resources, does not adversely affect the environment, and is not produced in an unethical manner. Sustainable products reduce waste, greenhouse gases, and the consumption of limited resources, allowing humans to protect the environment and practice environmental and healthy living [24].

Sustainable products from name-brand shops have unique designs and technology that make the product sustainable and safe for the environment. In the sportswear industry, Adidas uses recycled polyester, cotton, and plant-based materials for its sustainable products while using a fiber fragmentation method to lessen the environmental impact, making the products produced by the company eco-friendly and safe for the environment [25]. In the fashion industry, H&M uses lyocell, recycled wool, and linen, which are renewable and natural materials, in their clothing products in order to produce sustainable materials that have a small harmful effect on the environment [26]. L‘Oreal utilizes eco-friendly formulas for the company’s materials and products in the cosmetic industry, reducing its water footprint and conserving water upon producing products [27].

Environmental problems and issues also affect businesses worldwide; as such, numerous, notable companies have adopted a sustainable business strategy and have created or produced sustainable and green merchandise that would benefit the environment and the economy. The use of more sustainable materials by large enterprises is a measure cited by approximately 67% of C-level executives as part of their companies’ efforts to combat climate change through sustainability initiatives [28]. Additionally, nearly half of the surveyed companies proclaimed investing in uncomplicated solutions for recycling their materials and products in 2021 and supporting a sustainable goal over the following years [29]. In the fashion industry, GAP, H&M, Ralph Lauren, Nike, and Adidas are popular brands that practice and apply sustainability to their manufacturing processes, having their own unique style and sustainable methods to help the environment [30].

In order to measure sustainable practices, five distinct factors are embedded within the domains of sustainability, and these are human, social, productivity, economic, and environmental domains, which can all be connected to the theory of planned behavior (TPB) [17]. By estimating each construct at the same levels of specificity, the TPB permits us to investigate and analyze the effects of an individual’s unique determinants, with these comprising non-volitional determinants on individuals’ preferences and social surroundings, which can maximize the potential relationship between choice and its determinants [31]. An individual’s behavior, perception of value, and preference for purchasing sustainable items can all be influenced by their social identity and the relationships they manage [32]. In addition, the behavior of a person is greatly influenced by their performance and productivity in a particular field, in which motivating an individual to perform better would influence their behavior and attitude towards a particular field [33].

However, related studies have revealed the limitations of using the TPB as a sole framework. For example, the study of Ong et al. [16] expressed that the use of the TPB alone cannot holistically assess sustainable behavior, and the need for extension is needed. The authority and the policies enacted by the government as a variable are said to affect a person’s behavior, mindset, or attitude; emotional norms; and perceived behavioral control [34]. Environments with diverse aesthetic ideals can govern an individual’s moral judgment and attitude, affecting and influencing the individual’s behavioral intentions [35]. In addition, economic aspects among developing countries promotes the behavior of individuals [36]. As evident from the reiteration of Ajzen [37], recent commentaries on and queries of the TPB have been addressed, indicating that extension and flexibility of the model to specify the behavior researchers would want to assess could be realized. Thus, studies have explored the extension of the TPB, but no newly developed model or theory establishment has been provided aside from the one by Ong et al. [16] on assessing sustainable behavior. However, their study on the use of the framework was not focused on, as their methodology prompted the focus of their study to be centered on machine learning in consumer behavior.

According to a study by Alam et al. [38], the TPB, which assesses perceived values, was utilized to understand the impact consumers’ personal factors on sustainable and tolerable food consumption. The results revealed that perceived value, social norms and standards, perceived customer effectiveness, and attitude greatly impacted the preference for consuming sustainable food, and perceived customer effectiveness, perceived availability, and preference have influential effects on the natural behavior of consumers. In a related study, Ruangkanjanases et al. [39] created an expanded TPB to ascertain the antecedent factors on Taiwanese consumers’ inclination to buy sustainable and green products. The results demonstrated that when the consumer’s subjective and personal norms were taken out of the equation, the eight remaining personal factors demonstrated significant positive correlations with the extended TPB. This suggests that the voluntary participation component of the green and sustainable wave is far more effective and significant than the necessary social pressure from domestic and foreign entities. As per the study, it was concluded that the government and administration in Taiwan ought to encourage their citizens to accurately understand the impact of the green and sustainable wave on their community. Additionally, they ought to approve of consumers using word-of-mouth advertising and transactions to raise their standard of living. These measures can also be implemented in the Philippine context.

This has made it possible for this current study to develop a holistic model to take the sustainability-related behavior of people into account, integrating both the TPB and the domains of sustainability. This current study aimed to completely analyze behavioral intentions and preferences for buying green and sustainable products among name-brand shops in a developing country, specifically using the STPB. As expressed by Ong et al. [16], the STPB could be further tested outside of sustainable transportation, and the model could be established further in other green consumer aspects.

Recent news has highlighted how the country has long been practicing pollution-driven activities, neglecting their environmental effects [13]. The main concern is that sustainable practices are not evident among countries, especially those developing smart cities and sustainable economies [14]. In accordance with this, it was explained that the knowledge and immersion of Gen Z has brought an inclination towards green practices, but this has yet to be evaluated in the Philippines. It was suggested that testing the establishment of sustainable behavior assessment using structural equation modeling (SEM), aside from machine learning analysis, could provide the groundwork for the use of the model assessed in this study. As evident in the related studies, no distinct integration of sustainability domains and behavioral aspects was considered to assess behavioral intentions when purchasing green and sustainable products from name-brand shops. Consumers are concerned with social and environmental issues, and this can be shown in their behavior due to their purchase intentions toward sustainable products [17,40].

2. Conceptual Framework

The study’s framework, shown in Figure 1, shows how consumers’ intentions to buy sustainable goods from name-brand stores in a developing nation were ascertained using an improved theory of planned behavior called the sustainability theory of planned behavior (STP). The enhanced theory of planned behavior in the study added three factors, which are perceived economic concern (PEEC), perceived environmental concern (PENC), and perceived authority support (PAS) under the domains of sustainability [18] while maintaining elements such as subjective norms (SNs), attitude (AT), perceived behavioral control (PBC), customer-perceived value (CPV), and behavioral intention (BI), giving a total of eight latent variables used in this study.

PENC is defined as a measurement for an individual’s awareness and mindfulness of environmental concerns and an individual’s willingness to solve and answer environmental issues [41]. It can define customers’ perceptions of situations concerning the significance of the environment in benefiting the nation’s interest [42]. Customers who are concerned about the environment have high standards for eco-friendly products and are urged to buy them in order to lead healthy lifestyles [43]. According to Cheung and To [44], environmental concerns influence consumer purchasing decisions, especially for green products. Furthermore, consumers’ attitudes towards environmental issues and perspectives on eco-social benefits have a more substantial impact and relationship to green product purchases, resulting in a relationship between the consumer’s behavior and attitude and environmental concerns. Another study by Hamzah and Tamwir [45] indicates that perceived environmental responsibility, environmental knowledge, perceived green value, and perceived behavioral control are crucial drivers in consumer green purchase intention. Therefore, this study hypothesized the following:

H1. 

Perceived environmental concern has a significant relationship with subjective norms.

H2. 

Perceived environmentalconcernhas a significant relationship with attitude.

H3. 

Perceived environmental concern has a significantrelationship with perceived behavioral control.

PECC can be characterized as an individual’s conscious sense of producing one’s long-term economic and personal welfare [46]. Perceived price is a key consideration when selecting environmentally friendly items, and customers’ intentions to purchase environmentally friendly goods and products are strongly influenced by economic values [47]. According to Lin and Huang [48], the concept of the economic value of goods and services explains how customer behavior, net value, and perceived quality attributes are influenced by product pricing and perceived quality characteristics. The findings of the study by Awuni et al. [49] demonstrated that since green consumers support green products and are willing to pay more for them, they are not concerned about the perceived costs of green goods and products. According to a different study by Mohd Suki and Mohd Suki [50], consumers’ perceptions of value and buying preferences are enhanced when green goods and products are fairly priced. For instance, Chinese customers are affected by environmental quality and will spend more on eco-friendly goods. According to the findings, it is likely that the economic value of green products can improve consumers’ attitudes about buying green products, affecting the community as well through constant practice and consumers’ own behaviors [51]. Therefore, the following were hypothesized:

H4. 

Perceived economic concern has asignificantrelationship with subjective norms.

H5. 

Perceived economic concern has asignificantrelationship with attitude.

H6. 

Perceived economic concern has a significant relationship with perceived behavioral control.

PAS is the evaluation of an individual’s understanding of the resources, guidelines, policies, and actions that could be supplied by the government or an authorized institution in order to carry out special actions [18]. The effect of government support on consumers may encourage them to make green decisions [52]. According to Persada et al. [34], the government’s involvement can have a significant impact on any commercial process, including those related to urban development. Furthermore, the government can influence development activities by controlling the laws and implementing restrictions and physical approaches that cover security, norms, health, and economics. Organizations or companies implementing green-concept programs containing policies, rules, and regulations showing environmental support may influence and motivate consumers to buy and purchase green products through environmental programs [53]. In another study by Razif et al. [54], the government’s role and function for consumers is that it affects and influences the individual’s PENC, SNs, and the behavioral aspects and intentions of the consumers with regard to participation in environmental impact assessment. Therefore, this study hypothesized the following:

H7. 

Perceived authority support has a significant relationship with subjective norms.

H8. 

Perceived authority support has a significant relationship with attitude.

H9. 

Perceived authority support has a significant relationship with perceived behavioral control.

Pourmand et al. [55] explained that in the theory of planned behavior, the determinants of behavior are preferences to engage in certain conduct and the PBC over that behavior; three variables can determine these intentions. AT, which represents a person’s overall view of the conduct, is the first variable. The second is SNs, which are a person’s opinions on whether or not their close friends and family would approve of the behavior. The third variable, PBC, measures how much the person believes they have control over their conduct. These three factors can significantly affect and influence the decisions individuals make in their everyday lives [56]. The study by Qi and Ploeger [57] used the TPB to examine consumers’ green food purchase preferences, and the results show the benefit of the TPB’s domains in indicating customers’ green food purchase preferences. Both AT and PBC are highly significant antecedents of people’s intentions and consumer choices of products, while SNs are also a significant antecedent but not as high as the two factors mentioned, suggesting that these three factors have a relationship with the customer’s choice and preference for green products [58]. The results of the study by German et al. [18] also indicated that both A and PBC have a strong positive correlation and influence on CPV, and this has a direct impact and influence on the BI of consumers. Therefore, this study hypothesized the following:

H10. 

Subjective norms have a significant relationship with customer-perceived value.

H11. 

Attitude has a significant relationship with customer-perceived value.

H12. 

Perceived behavioral control has a significant relationship with customer-perceived value.

CPV is an emotional connection that develops when customers use the goods or services businesses offer that add value for the customer [59]. The concept of perceived weight and value is defined as the benefit of completing a task in proportion to the cost that this incurs. It is a factor that can instantaneously influence an individual’s choices and intentions to undertake an activity [60]. The study by Villagómez and Chacón [61] concluded that the CPV factor, considering variables such as the TPB’s domains, has the means to explain and influence the intentions of individuals. Another study by Liu et al. [62] showed that consumers’ purchase preferences increase through customer-to-customer interchange and perceived weight and value, indicating that CPV influences customers’ behavior. According to the findings of a study conducted by Zhang et al. [63], customers’ purchase preferences and behavior for products like energy-saving devices are positively impacted and influenced by consumer-perceived quality, attitude, price, and environmental values. Perceived value has a positive impact on purchase choice; consumers are more likely to buy a certain product if their perception of its worth is favorable [64]. Therefore, this study hypothesized the following:

H13. 

Customer-perceived value has a significant relationship with behavioral intention.

3. Methodology

3.1. Participants

The participants of this study were consumers who purchased products from name-brand shops in a developing country, specifically the Philippines. This study used a convenience sampling approach to gather at least 300 respondents in total to participate in an online self-administered survey. In a study by Stratton [65], it was expressed that population sampling usually considers convenience sampling representative of the general public. This approach was proven to be sufficient in related studies—deemed beneficial, even—due to it being less time-consuming, easier, less expensive, and more straightforward. It was also proven to be beneficial for generating accurate generalizability for a hypothesized model or among study objectives [66]. As expressed by Andrade [67], convenience sampling may be deemed suitable depending on the population and target objectives. In addition, the assessment process should be credible and sensitive for the technique to be applicable. This current sampling analysis provided a high response rate, did not present a common method bias, and was normally distributed. Moreso, it is evident that the sample distribution considered was among the representative group. Supported by Jager et al. [68], this cost-effective process is now highly acceptable among similar studies in the literature.

Prior to actual analysis, the collected data samples underwent data pre-processing such as inspection for missing responses, in addition to filtering willingness questions and voluntary responses, as well as redundant responses. Of a total of 332 responses, only 300 were deemed valid, generating a 90.36% response rate. Furthermore, the respondents had to complete a consent form before responding to the online survey, giving them the liberty to stop whenever they wanted. A Google form was used to create the poll, and it was shared with social networking sites like Instagram, Viber, Twitter, Facebook Messenger, and Facebook Groups. The survey contains two parts. The first part of the survey includes the Data Privacy Act or the respondents’ consent, and the survey demographics are shown in

Table 1. Demographic profile of the respondents (n = 300).

Characteristics	Category	N	%
Gender	Male	145	48.3%
	Female	155	51.7%
	Total	300	100%
Age	Below 18 years old	19	6.3%
	18–25 years old	217	72.3%
	26–35 years old	29	9.7%
	36–45 years old	15	5%
	46–55 years old	18	6%
	56–65 years old	2	0.7%
	66 years old and above	0	0%
	Total	300	100%
Status	Single	271	90.3%
	Married	28	9.3%
	Separated	1	0.4%
	Widowed	0	0%
	Total	300	100%
Area of Residence	Urban	259	86.3%
	Rural	41	13.7%
	Total	300	100%
Employment	Student	215	71.7%
	Unemployed	6	2%
	Employed	60	20%
	Self-Employed	19	6.3%
	Total	300	100%
Education Level	Finished college or graduate degree	85	28.3%
	Attended college	183	61%
	Attended high school/senior high school	31	10.3%
	Attended grade school	1	0.3%
	Total	300	100%
Household size	1–2 people	25	8.3%
	3–4 people	116	38.7%
	5–6 people	109	36.3%
	Above 6 people	50	16.7%
	Total	300	100%
Total Monthly Income/Allowance	Less than 10,000	95	31.7%
	10,001–20,000	64	21.3%
	20,001–30,000	44	14.7%
	30,001–40,000	28	9.3%
	40,001–50,000	21	7%
	Above 50,000	48	16%
	Total	300	100%
Frequency of Buying Green Products Made from Name-Brand Shops	At least every 1–3 months	164	54.7%
	3–5 months	62	20.7%
	6–9 months	34	11.3%
	10–12 months	40	13.3%
	Total	300	100%

. The second part contains the questionnaire for measuring the STPB. Before the SEM analysis, the data were checked for common method bias to assure the reliability of the results. As suggested by Posakoff et al. [69], the output should be less than 50%, and this study obtained a total variance of 20.573% using Harman’s Single-Factor Test. Moreover, testing for normality using the Shapiro–Wilk test was within the ±1.96 threshold [66]. The measurement of this study had the highest values of −1.855 and +0.5326.

Generalized insight could be obtained from those of the younger generations who were 18–25 years old, single, living in urban areas, and studying and/or employed. Reflecting on the study of Soomro et al. [19], significant positive effects were collected via convenience sampling, demonstrating how the young generation displays positive green consumer behavior, especially when the government supports and promotes it. Highlighted by Majhi [20], findings obtained from convenience sampling and SEM indicate that single young people adopt a significantly positive attitude in relation to green consumer behavior since they are knowledgeable and acquainted with the current sustainability trend. However, both studies only focused on Pakistan and India, respectively. Their limitations were their generalizations outside of the country. Similar insights were gained among Gen Z (17–27 years old) who were single in China. The study simply considered the TPB and demonstrated how government support promoted green behavior among individuals [21]. However, the limitations of a holistic assessment of pro-environmental and sustainable behavior was evident among the related studies. In addition, Ribeiro et al. [70] also highlighted eco-conscious behavior from Gen Z among British consumers, solely focusing on how sustainable values/beliefs/norms extracted the green consumer output. The study highlighted how the current generation of young consumers should be evaluated to gain more insights before generalization. Thus, having to assess young generations in the Philippines for green practices is needed.

3.2. Questionnaire

An online questionnaire, which was adapted from related studies [18,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51,52,53,54,55,56,57,58,59], was used to build the items for measuring factors affecting sustainable behaviors related to buying sustainable products from name-brand shops. The measurement items were adapted and are referenced in Appendix A of

Table A1. Measurement items.

Variable	Code	Description	References
Behavioral Intention	BI1	Among name-brand goods, I want to buy and use eco-friendly and sustainable products.	[41,42,43,44]
	BI2	My goal is to persuade people to buy and utilize eco-friendly and sustainable products from well-known retailers.
	BI3	I believe that the consumption and purchasing of environmentally friendly and sustainably produced goods from reputable retailers will be largely supported by our society.
	BI4	I want to discuss the advantages of utilizing and buying eco-friendly products from reputable stores.
	BI5	I advise others to utilize and acquire eco-friendly and sustainable goods from well-known retailers.
Customer-Perceived Value	CPV1	The green products sold by reputable stores are of excellent quality.	[18,45]
	CPV2	I feel at ease when I use and buy environmentally friendly products from reputable stores.
	CPV3	Purchasing and utilizing eco-friendly products from well-known retailers makes me happy.
	CPV4	Buying and using eco-friendly products from reputable stores gives me a sense of confidence and trust.
	CPV5	The value perceived when purchasing and using green products meets my expectations.
Subjective Norms	SN1	Important people in my life believe that I should use eco-friendly products from reputable retailers.	[46,47,48,49,50]
	SN2	Important people in my life agree with my use of and purchase of eco-friendly goods from well-known retailers.
	SN3	Important people in my life want me to utilize eco-friendly products from well-known retailers.
	SN4	The opinions of people I respect influence my choice to use and buy eco-friendly products from well-known retailers.
	SN5	I see societal pressure to utilize and buy eco-friendly products from well-known retailers.
Attitude	AT1	To have a positive impact on the environment, I usually consider buying green products instead of name-brand goods.	[50,51,52,53]
	AT2	I feel satisfied when using and purchasing green products from name-brand shops.
	AT3	I feel contented purchasing and using green products from name-brand items.
	AT4	Among name-brand products, I believe there is value in utilizing and buying green products.
	AT5	Buying and using eco-friendly, name-brand products is totally acceptable.
	AT6	I think purchasing and using green products from name-brand shops is of great significance.
Perceived Behavioral Control	PBC1	I can use and purchase green products from name-brand shops to meet my needs.	[50,51,52]
	PBC2	Whether or not I choose to buy and use eco-friendly products from well-known stores depends on me.
	PBC3	Using and buying eco-friendly products from reputable stores is completely up to me.
	PBC4	I possess the tools, information, and abilities necessary to use and buy eco-friendly products from name-brand stores.
	PBC5	I intend to purchase and use green products from name-brand shops in my next purchase.
	PBC6	I believe that purchasing and using green products from name-brand shops improves our society and country.
Perceived Environmental Concern	PENC1	To protect the environment, I am willing to spend money on and utilize eco-friendly products from well-known stores.	[18,53,54]
	PENC2	I bought green products from reputable stores as soon as I could to ensure that sustainable practices will be followed since I am really concerned about the state of the environment and what it would imply for my future.
	PENC3	I should utilize and buy eco-friendly products from reputable stores in order to adopt sustainable practices because there is serious environmental abuse being committed by humans.
	PENC4	It is crucial that I buy and use green items from reputable stores to prevent repercussions and practice sustainable processes because when humans tamper with nature, it often results in severe consequences.
	PENC5	I should buy and use eco-friendly products from reputable stores since significant societal changes are required to protect the environment.
Perceived Economic Concern	PECC1	I will switch from purchasing and using green products from name-brand shops if it costs the same as my preferred products from name-brand shops.	[55,56]
	PECC2	I usually consider the price when purchasing and using green products from name-brand shops.
	PECC3	I am willing to purchase and use green products from name-brand shops if their price is more reasonable than regular/non-recycled products.
	PECC4	I consider the economic value of purchasing and using green products from name-brand shops.
	PECC5	I consider the efficacy of purchasing and using green products from name-brand shops.
Perceived Authority Support	PAS1	In my opinion, eco-friendly products from well-known retailers have the option to apply the government’s suggested tactics for adopting sustainable practices.	[18,57,58,59]
	PAS2	I believe that eco-friendly products from well-known retailers have an option to take part in a government-established environmental program.
	PAS3	The government supports the law allowing people to buy and utilize environmentally friendly products in order to adopt sustainable practices.
	PAS4	The adoption of pro-environmental policies by environmentally conscious businesses has given me the opportunity to buy and use green items.
	PAS5	Name-brand companies selling and adding green products to their merchandise affords me autonomy to choose whether to buy and utilize environmentally friendly products.

. The adapted measurement items from the STPB covered the assessment of purchasing behavior for eco-friendly products or services. For example, German et al. [18] considered perceived economic concerns and the TPB for assessing behavioral intentions related to considering third-party logistics. It was evident that Filipinos want to consider eco-friendly logistics. In addition, a study by Hamzah and Tanwir [45] assessed the purchasing of hybrid vehicles and presented pro-environmental behaviors as being significant. Moreover, green product purchases, as expressed by Lin and Huang [48], were seen as influenced by behavioral domains, behavioral intentions, and consumption value perception. Therefore, these related studies (among other referenced papers) combined were used to create 46 measurement items. A preliminary assessment among 150 respondents was conducted to gain insights, evaluate changes, and present the final output. A Cronbach’s alpha assessment with a coefficient greater than 0.80 was obtained, which was deemed acceptable for distribution [71,72]. The survey was made available during March 2023—November 2023.

3.3. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM)

The quantitative method known as structural equation modeling (SEM), which can evaluate the relationship between observed and unobserved variables, is typically used in studies on institutional behavior and advertising for sample testing and instrument verification [71]. The SEM approach makes assumptions and hypothesized relationships precise and measures a complete representation of theories [72]. The ability of SEM to simultaneously assess unobserved and observed variables makes it beneficial for assessing and testing newly developed or extended frameworks. Reflecting on the multivariate discussion from the book of Hair et al. [73], SEM portrays advantageous and accurate output when assessed with a higher number of respondents. In accordance with this, Dash and Paul [74] also suggested that the use of either partial least squares SEM (PLS-SEM) or covariance-based SEM (CB-SEM) could be applied for analysis, as they were proven to have a similar output. It was highlighted that when an established theory is considered by studies, testing using CB-SEM can be employed, and PLS-SEM could be used for self-developed models. In the study by Yu et al. [75], SEM was used to determine and assess Taiwanese scholars’ purchase preferences and commitment to green and sustainable products. In another study by Cheah et al. [76], CB-SEM was compared and used in different applications. Data were measured utilizing AMOS 25.0 Bootstrap Maximum Likelihood (BML), and the results determined significant latent interactions among the different relationships.

4. Results

Figure 2 demonstrates the initial SEM findings for analyzing consumers’ purchase intentions toward green products. As can be observed in Figure 2, the broken lines presented in the figure represent an insignificant relationship with other factors, as it attained a p-value of less than 0.05.

Table 2. Statistical analysis of indicators.

Variable	Item	Mean	StD	Factor Loading
				Initial	Final
Behavioral Intentions	BI1	4.2100	0.73555	0.830	0.820
	BI2	4.1800	0.75907	0.839	0.829
	BI3	4.0900	0.82715	0.709	0.695
	BI4	4.1500	0.73664	0.785	0.773
	BI5	4.1733	0.79922	0.774	0.762
Customer-Perceived Value	CPV1	4.0800	0.82616	0.715	0.699
	CPV2	4.1200	0.77087	0.800	0.787
	CPV3	4.1433	0.79891	0.783	0.769
	CPV4	4.2000	0.75403	0.741	0.726
	CPV5	4.2400	0.74223	0.801	0.788
Subjective Norms	SN1	3.8100	0.88497	0.848	0.830
	SN2	4.0300	0.75121	0.784	0.763
	SN3	3.8667	0.81513	0.836	0.818
	SN4	3.8633	0.94213	0.696	0.675
	SN5	3.4267	0.87012	0.598	0.594
Attitude	A1	4.2533	0.71941	0.686	0.666
	A2	4.2533	0.76448	0.786	0.770
	A3	4.2067	0.79964	0.779	0.762
	A4	4.2767	0.71308	0.791	0.775
	A5	4.2100	0.77540	0.737	0.717
	A6	4.1700	0.77660	0.744	0.727
Perceived Behavioral Control	PBC1	4.1300	0.78432	0.723	0.719
	PBC2	4.2633	0.70875	0.698	0.695
	PBC3	4.2467	0.72173	0.714	0.712
	PBC4	4.1633	0.77373	0.690	0.684
	PBC5	4.1067	0.80672	0.759	0.755
	PBC6	4.2500	0.77211	0.709	0.705
Perceived Environmental Concern	ENV1	4.4133	0.69577	0.689	0.689
	ENV2	4.3233	0.73069	0.822	0.822
	ENV3	4.3633	0.71626	0.832	0.832
	ENV4	4.3400	0.77873	0.807	0.808
	ENV5	4.3233	0.73978	0.857	0.857
Perceived Economic Concern	ECO1	4.2433	0.82039	0.670	-
	ECO2	4.3833	0.70097	0.699	-
	ECO3	4.4000	0.70829	0.720	-
	ECO4	4.3167	0.76922	0.749	-
	ECO5	4.3867	0.73868	0.763	-
Perceived Authority Support	PAS1	4.2267	0.70967	0.784	0.784
	PAS2	4.2267	0.75533	0.772	0.772
	PAS3	4.0400	0.90247	0.670	0.669
	PAS4	4.1167	0.81564	0.677	0.677
	PAS5	4.2467	0.71240	0.767	0.768

displays the descriptive statistics for the model’s indicators utilized in this study. In addition, the initial and final factor loading categories are also displayed. The construct variances shown in the table evaluate the model’s latent variables, in which values greater than 0.50 are considered acceptable and significant. All measurement factors were determined to be significant based on the output. However, removing insignificant latent variables because of a higher p-value does not represent the final factor loadings. Removing these insignificant latent variables is essential to generate and gather the final SEM model and data [71,73].

The final SEM model used in the study is shown in Figure 3. The final model shows the factors that are significant to consumers’ behavioral intentions toward green products. In addition,

Table 3. Composite reliability.

Factor	Cronbach’s α	Average Variance Extracted (AVE)	Composite Reliability (CR)
Behavioral Intentions	0.905	0.604	0.884
Customer-Perceived Value	0.902	0.569	0.868
Subjective Norms	0.856	0.550	0.857
Attitude	0.908	0.543	0.877
Perceived Behavioral Control	0.878	0.507	0.861
Perceived Environmental Concern	0.901	0.646	0.901
Perceived Authority Support	0.860	0.541	0.854

illustrates the composite reliability used in this study. The tables show the factors presented in the SEM final model, each with their corresponding Cronbach’s value (≥0.70), average variance extracted value (≥0.50), and composite reliability (≥0.70) [73].

Table 4. Model fit indices.

Goodness of Fit Measures	Parameter Estimates	Minimum Cutoff	Suggested by
Incremental Fit Index (IFI)	0.930	>0.80	Akinyode [78]
Tucker–Lewis Index (TLI)	0.929	>0.80	Akinyode [78]
Comparative Fit Index (CFI)	0.940	>0.80	Akinyode [78]
Goodness of Fit Index (GFI)	0.846	>0.80	Akinyode [78]
Adjusted Goodness of Fit Index (AGFI)	0.811	>0.80	Akinyode [78]
Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA)	0.051	<0.07	Kim et al. [79]

shows the model fit indices executed in this study. The model fit indices display the measurements, such as the IFI, TLI, CFI, GFI, AGFI, and RMSEA, with each parameter estimate and minimum cutoff values. The model fit was used in this study to reproduce and finalize the data in order to better understand the relationship of each factor to one another. According to Kang and Ahn [77], the measurement model outlines the features that comprise the measured items and how latent variables are measured using unobserved variables.

5. Discussions

The sustainability theory of planned behavior (STPB) and the theory of planned behavior (TPB) with the domains of sustainability were both used in this study to evaluate customers’ behavioral intentions to buy sustainable items from name-brand stores in a developing nation. Furthermore, this research employed a structural equation model (SEM) to delineate the relationship and association among the variables included in the sustainability theory of planned behavior, or STPB, which was the subject of this study. Perceived authority support, perceived environmental concern, perceived economic concern, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, attitude, customer-perceived value, and behavioral intention were the specific elements that were taken into account in this study.

Sustainability has long been a major issue in the Philippines, as illegal activities such as mining and logging, deforestation, and significant pollution output have been evident. These activities are said to be a long-lasting practice, which is why the current news has reiterated the need for paving ways for businesses with circular economy practices [13]. This has been said in order to promote these practices, which is why assessing green consumer behavior (which has not yet been established) is needed. However, this recent trend has not yet been practiced in the country, which is why establishing a benchmark to promote green behavior is important. As explained in the study by Dwivedi et al. [36], the challenges and pursuance of sustainable initiatives among countries should be further explored since a lack of suppliers, commitment, and products has been an issue among others related to the neglect of sustainable practices. Evident in the Philippines, the current standing on sustainable practices may be explained by delving into insights on supply and demand. In accordance with this, this study promoted a business-oriented perspective as to why consumers would practice green behavior, given that its perceived value was deemed to have the highest significant effect.

The quality of green products when purchasing from name-brand shops is high, and customers feel relaxed, delighted, and confident upon purchasing green products from name-brand shops. In addition, customers perceive value when purchasing green products suits their expectations. They have a unique and emotional connection to the products they purchase and use, meaning that their unique relationship to a green product affects their purchase preferences and intentions in relation to eco-friendly products. Concerning the analysis and research of Rahardja et al. [80], the research revealed that individuals’ perceived value significantly affects a person’s intentions and behavior. The study also found that a strong relationship can develop among a consumer’s preference or intentions and a consumer’s perception of value, which will go on to have a more significant impact. Furthermore, Liu et al. [81] also established a connection between the perceived worth or value of intangible, culturally valuable, antique souvenirs and consumers’ intentions to acquire and purchase them. The study’s findings demonstrated that a consumer’s purchasing behavior related to souvenirs is greatly affected by the consumer’s perceived value—similar to the insights of this study. In line with this study, customers’ purchase intentions and attitudes or behavior regarding purchasing green and eco-friendly products from name-brand shops can be greatly affected by their perceived value and expectations of a product. It could be posited that when consumers consider green products, a higher value is placed on established brands due to the confidence brought by customer recognition of them.

Moreover, perceived authority support presents highly significant, consequential, and indirect impacts on behavioral domains such as subjective norms, attitude, and perceived behavioral control. According to the results, consumers purchase and use green products due to the environmental policy implemented by the government and through their endorsement of regulations. The government’s environmental policies and programs have made consumers willing and able to purchase green and eco-friendly goods. Furthermore, it was posited that the government has a large impact on customers’ purchase preferences and intentions when purchasing green and eco-friendly products from name-brand shops. According to the research by Tian et al. [82], consumers’ overall behavior is greatly influenced by the backing of governments and authorities; attitude has the strongest correlation with this, followed by subjective norms and perceived behavioral control. Evident from different studies [19,20,21], active promotion and support by the government is a significant starting point for green practices.

Political ideology or rules and regulations asserted by the government affect a person’s subjective norms, attitude, and perceived behavioral control in connection to participating in an event [83]. Moreover, an investigation and analysis conducted by Gumasing et al. [15] identified the variables influencing Filipinos’ adoption of sustainable practices, including renewable energy. The results showed that perceived authority support directly affects attitude and subjective norms, which demonstrates that Filipinos’ perspectives of authority support greatly affects subjective norms and attitudes. Concerning this study, consumers value and respect the influence of the government and the application of environmental protection and security, thus affecting the behavioral domains and purchase intentions in purchasing green products in name-brand shops. This supports why perceived authority support provides a consequential and influential indirect impact on customer-perceived value and behavioral intention in the behavioral domains.

Perceived environmental concern displayed significant indirect effects on behavioral domains such as attitude and perceived behavioral control, having the lowest effect on subjective norms. Based on the results, consumers are apprehensive about the world’s declining environmental status and are inclined to buy and utilize green and eco-friendly products to help protect the environment. Similarly, customers are also inclined to buy green products due to human interference with nature in order to avoid environmental consequences. According to research by Duong et al. [84], customers’ environmental concerns dramatically impact their attitude toward green and sustainable products, perceived behavioral control, and green purchase preference and intentions, which affects customer’s decision making concerning purchasing green and sustainable products. Research by Tung and Hu [85] determined the influence of people’s environmental concern and awareness on utilizing electric scooters. According to the results, environmental awareness significantly affects subjective norms, attitude, and behavioral control, with attitude gaining the highest significance among the three sustainable domains. Thus, environmental awareness and the concern of an individual influence the decision and behavior of people in consuming and using green products. Within the Philippines, Gumasing et al. [15] explained that environmental awareness significantly influences subjective norms, attitude, and perceived behavioral control, concluding that a strong social drive to impose green behaviors and practices is linked to a profound understanding of the environment. Therefore, in accordance with this study, the concern and awareness of a consumer for the environment affect customers’ purchase preferences and intentions concerning purchasing green and sustainable products from name-brand shops. A further indirect significant effect is therefore seen on customer-perceived value and behavioral intention in the behavioral domains.

Perceived behavioral control showed a significant, influential, and direct impact on customer-perceived value and an indirect impact on behavioral intention. Based on the results, consumers purchase green products from name-brand shops solely based on their authority and on their evaluation of it meeting their needs. In addition, consumers know of and believe in purchasing and using green products from name-brand shops. Individuals’ beliefs and conditions affect the green products they want from name-brand shops. In relation to related studies, Wong et al. [86] justified how the perceived behavioral control of a consumer can affect their behavior and purchase intentions and decisions. Moreover, Lu and Wang [87] displayed how the behavioral control and enjoyment of a person has a positive connection and relationship with the behavior and preference of a person. This suggests that people’s needs and control over themselves affect their decisions. In line with the study, consumers’ authority and control over themselves can influence their behavioral intentions in purchasing and using green products from name-brand shops.

Subjective norms had a consequential direct influence on customer-perceived value. According to the results, the people surrounding a consumer influence a customer’s purchase intention and preference to buy and use green or otherwise sustainable products from name-brand shops. In addition, consumers feel they are under social pressure to purchase and use green products from name-brand shops. Society and the people surrounding an individual consumer, such as friends and family, affect their purchase intentions and decisions to buy green and eco-friendly products from name-brand shops. According to a study by Gounaris et al. [88], social pressure and social norms influence people’s behavior and intentions, making it a factor for people when deciding and choosing. This can be related to this current study, as consumers are also affected by the people surrounding them when selecting and purchasing green products. In accordance with this, Alshibly [89] explained that social value or subjective norms significantly influences a customer’s satisfaction and the value of a product in a social commerce field. Thus, in line with this study, society, subjective norms, and the people surrounding a consumer can significantly affect their intentions to buy green and eco-friendly products from name-brand shops, which shows an indirect consequential effect on behavioral intention among Filipinos.

Attitude showed a significant and substantial direct influence on customer-perceived value and indirect influence on behavioral intention. Based on the results, consumers feel satisfied and content upon purchasing and using green products from name-brand shops. Consumers also think purchasing green products from name-brand shops is highly acceptable and valuable. In addition, consumers think purchasing green products from name-brand shops has great significance for and impact on the environment. The study by Salehzadeh and Pool [90] concerning the connection between a customer’s perceived value, brand attitude, and purchase intention explained that the customer’s attitude or perspective of a product and brand affects the consumer’s perceived value and expectations of a product, directly affecting their purchase intentions and behavior. Similarly, Ondang [91] indicated that attitude has a strong relationship to perceived value, and both strongly influenced consumers’ purchase intentions in a particular coffee house. This can be related to this current study, as consumers can be significantly affected by their attitudes (likes and dislikes) toward a specific product. In line with this study, consumers’ attitudes and perspectives regarding products affect consumers’ decisions and intentions to buy green products from name-brand shops.

Based on the findings, perceived economic concern was deemed insignificant. Though the items are significant, the latent variables are not substantial because, based on the data and input, consumers have their set preferences when buying green products from name-brand shops, meaning the price of a green product does not affect the customer’s purchase intentions. In addition, since consumers are more inclined toward sustainable aspects, the economic value and efficacy of a product do not affect consumers’ purchase preferences and intention regarding green or sustainable products from name-brand shops. The price of green products from name-brand shops does not affect consumers’ purchase intentions when buying green products from name-brand shops, indicating that customers are prone to spend more or less at name-brand stores on environmentally friendly goods. In a research study conducted by Yue et al. [92] concerning the connection between price sensitivity and consumer behavior in China, they demonstrate that there is a negative correlation between customer aspirations and intentions to use green and sustainable products and price sensitivity, which implies that green customers are inclined to purchase goods with either a high or low price value. On the other hand, the study by Nekmahmud [42] regarding the factors affecting green consumers’ purchase intentions implies that, although prices influence green consumers’ purchase intentions regarding green products, consumers still spend more on eco-friendly goods due to their environmental awareness. Thus, in line with this current study, the price of green products does not affect the consumer’s behavior upon purchasing green products from name-brand shops due to the customer’s concern for the environment.

Generally, customers are prepared to pay extra for name-brand stores that sell eco-friendly or sustainable goods. Consumers’ purchase intentions are greatly affected by the customer preference or expectations for a product, as findings indicate that customer-perceived value has the highest influential and consequential relationship to behavioral purposes. Customers are inclined to purchase eco-friendly goods if the sustainable product meets the requirements and expectations of the consumer. Furthermore, consumers purchasing intentions towards green products from name-brand shops are also affected by the government, individuals’ environmental concerns and awareness, individuals’ personal needs and beliefs, society, and individual attitudes. The government plays a large role in consumers’ intentions and decisions concerning buying green products from name-brand shops, as the government can enact or create laws and regulations to endorse and advertise green products. Hence, society can predominately support and influence using and purchasing green products with the government’s help. Consumers are affected by their environmental concerns, attitude, and behavioral control, which can affect their decisions in everyday lives and, in this case, their behavior toward purchasing green products. Because a consumer’s behavioral domain is directly impacted by their sense of authority support and environmental concern, which in turn influences their perceived value, the customer’s behavioral intentions can also be indirectly influenced by behavioral domains, as well as individuals’ perception of authority support and environmental concern. And lastly, the people that surround us and the people we value most in our lives can simulate ideas, preferences, and decisions regarding our purchase behavior. Therefore, people can willingly recommend and encourage people to purchase green products from name-brand shops.

6. Conclusions

Only a few studies have been conducted regarding customers’ green behavioral preferences and intentions to buy eco-friendly products from name-brand shops. Additionally, there are very few, if any, works of research that employ a structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis in conjunction with the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and the domains of sustainability to ascertain customers’ behavioral intentions with regard to buying environmentally friendly items. Therefore, additional information about consumers’ behavioral preferences and intentions when buying eco-friendly products from name-brand shops is required. Furthermore, this study also indicated and emphasized the significant relationship of other variables, such as the behavioral domain, to the customer’s behavioral preferences and intentions concerning buying green and sustainable products.

The results demonstrated how the behavioral domains of attitude, perceived behavioral control, and subjective norms all have a direct impact on how valuable customers consider themselves, and they are also closely linked to perceived environmental concern and support from authority figures. In addition, the results also showed that customer-perceived value has a direct relationship to perceived authority support and behavioral intentions, and perceived environmental concern has an indirect significance or relationship to behavioral intentions. The findings indicated that customer-perceived value had the greatest impact on behavioral intention, with perceived environmental concern and perceived authority support following closely behind. The results of this study demonstrated that consumers’ behavioral intents to purchase eco-friendly products from well-known retailers are greatly impacted by their expectations of the product’s quality. Furthermore, government and consumer consideration of the environment impacts behavioral intentions when purchasing green products from name-brand shops.

6.1. Theoretical Implications

When the theory of planned behavior (TPB) was applied to the sustainability domains in this study, it confirmed the researcher’s findings that perceived environmental concern and perceived authority support were the variables that indirectly affected consumers’ behavioral intentions and perceived value. Based on the study’s findings, these two factors have a direct impact on a person’s behavioral domains, including attitude, perceived behavioral control, and subjective norms. These behavioral domains in turn have an impact on a customer’s perception of value and, indirectly, on their behavioral intentions. With regard to what the study accomplished, integrating the two theories could be beneficial in assessing consumers’ green behaviors and purchase intentions. This further establishes the STPB. In accordance with this, the construct a mediating variable (customer-perceived value) presented the highest effect on behavioral intention. This could be further employed among related studies and even adopted for future research work in the field of consumer behaviors. That is, having preceding perceived values of behavioral domains is a factor that may be considered. Furthermore, this study also emphasized the impact of sustainable behavior, attitudes, and the customer’s preference regarding the purchase of green and eco-friendly products. Therefore, other researchers could consider and use similar integrated theories for the assessment and analysis of the green behavioral purposes and purchase preferences of consumers. Precise and reliable results about the causal relationship between the latent variables addressed in the investigation were obtained through the implementation of structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis in this study.

6.2. Practical and Managerial Implications

Throughout the years, sustainable practices have become popular and common in numerous places around the world. Businesses have already tried to adopt and use sustainable practices in their products and business strategies, which has persuaded companies to sell green products. One of the factors that businesses consider when increasing profit is the satisfaction and preferences of customers. As a result, it is crucial to identify and track the factors that influence consumers’ decisions to buy green or environmentally friendly items. According to this study, consumers’ decisions to purchase eco-friendly products from name-brand retailers as well as their behavioral intentions were primarily influenced by their perceptions of environmental concerns and the assistance they received from authorities.

Based on the results, the behavioral domains used in this study have a consequential relationship and connection with the behavioral intentions of customers in purchasing green products. Customers are influenced by society and personal beliefs to buy green products from name-brand shops. Businesses should interact with green consumers regarding newly updated green products so that green consumers become aware of the latest trends in green products. Focusing on the collected data, efforts to sell eco-friendly products or green products should be focused on attracting customers in the 18-to-25 age range, as well as those who reside in urban areas. In this way, businesses can maximize their consumers and persuade more consumers to buy green products. Customers that care about the environment are more likely to purchase green and sustainable products if they see an eco-label on them or know that they are made of sustainable materials. In addition, green consumers have a keen interest in buying durable and long-lasting green products. Thus, businesses should make it a habit to include an eco-label on their products and use sustainable materials to make the product more durable and long-lasting. Companies that manufacture environmentally friendly goods can also use social media influencers and platform services to promote their own environmentally friendly products. In this way, green consumers would be alerted and informed on green products that are produced by each name-brand shop and company, thus giving more consumers access to their businesses.

6.3. Limitations and Recommendations for Future Research

Although this study’s results are encouraging, they also point to a number of shortcomings and restrictions. Firstly, this study’s sole objective is to ascertain customers’ intents to purchase green items from name-brand stores and engage in green behaviors. In addition, only specific variables were used in this study to assess their relationship to customers’ behavioral intentions in purchasing green products from name-brand shops. Future researchers could focus on green products from local brands and use different variables that influence customers’ behavioral intentions and purchasing intentions concerning green products. Interviews and characteristic-based clustering may be considered in order to segment and provide a more coherent business strategy for companies and industries. Since this study was able to accomplish its primary goal of assessing behavior and the developed model, future research may try to consider qualitative aspects in order to provide a holistic marketing strategy, business models, and managerial implications. Secondly, only the insights and perceptions of the younger generation (Gen Z) were obtained. Other categories such as age group, culture, and practices should be elaborated on in future studies, as these may influence the results. Furthermore, the researcher only used two theories: the domains of sustainability and the TPB, or the theory of planned behavior. As such, the results only revolved around the latent variables considered. Since this is a newly set theory, future researchers may consider extending the theoretical model to provide more insights into the purchase intentions and green behavior among various other consumers. Also, this study only employed structural equation modeling (SEM) to define and illustrate the relationship among the latent variables. Future researchers can add or use different methodologies related to consumers’ behavioral and sustainability domains. In addition, they can use other models for distinguishing and analyzing the relationship of latent variables, such as machine learning algorithms—the examples of which may be neural network and random forest classifiers, deemed as providing higher accuracy in classification techniques. Long short-term memory (LSTM) may also be utilized to create a forecast of future behavioral intentions, even forecasting respondent intentions.