To save the environment is my moral duty: investigating young consumer’s green purchase behaviour with moderated mediation approach

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of ethical obligation and environmental concern in young consumers’ green purchase behaviour using Ajzen’s (1991) theory of planned behaviour as underpinning theoretical model. Design/methodology/approach Data collected from 253 college students of a major higher education institution in Northern India were analysed by using structural equation modelling and moderated mediation analysis in AMOS 22.0 and SPSS 20.0. Findings Investigating why environmental concern does not significantly translate into green purchase intention, the study demonstrates that the effect of environmental concern was mediated through attitude and ethical obligation. In addition, the study also found that the effect of environmental concern on attitude was positively moderated by ethical obligation. Moreover, subjective norms were found to exhibit no direct effect on green purchase intention; rather, this effect was indirect and mediated through attitude and perceived behavioural control. The results of moderated mediation analysis further demonstrated that the indirect effect of subjective norms on green purchase intention through attitude was found conditional on the values of perceived behavioural control. Originality/value The study offers a valuable contribution by signifying the moderating role of ethical obligation in green purchase behaviour. It also contributes to the existing knowledge by assessing the conditional indirect effect of subjective norms on green purchase intention which is rarely examined in the literature.