A STUDY ON PREFERENCE OF ECO-LABELED PRODUCT PURCHASING BEHAVIOUR AND ITS GENDER PERSPECTIVES: A CASE STUDY IN MAPALANA, GS DIVISION

Abstract

In present situation, Green marketing activities are increasing worldwide. These activities have had an important influence on increasing consumer knowledge and shifting consumer into purchasing green products. Eco-Labels are potentially attractive instruments for informing consumers about the impact of their purchasing decisions on environmental sustainability using the words of “environment-friendly”, “ozone-friendly”, “organic”, “recyclable”, ‘degradable” on their packing. Lack of research investigations especially in the Asian context have motivated this research to explore the effect of gender on green consumer purchase intention. However, the actual behavior of consumers in developing countries is particularly questionable. The pre-tested questionnaire survey was conducted in Mapalana GS division, Matara, Sri Lanka with a valid sample of 145. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Based on independent samples t-test results indicated that gender significantly shapes the purchase intention of the eco-labels. females’ intention to purchase eco-labels is greater than the males’. Females consume more time compared to males for purchasing activities. It is highly significant, the environmentalists, researchers, policymakers, marketers, and academics, who are concerning the consumer purchasing behavior for enhancing the usage of Eco Labels among the population. It may be beneficial for the environment and family health to keep it at a satisfactory economic level. Based on the results, the present study recommends that green marketers should implement their green marketing tools based on the gender of the consumer