11

Research full: The effect of environment-friendly attitude of consumers on their
green purchase behaviours in the supermarket industry in the UK
1

ABSTRACT
This research aims to analyse the effect of environment-friendly attitudes of consumers on
their purchase behaviours in the supermarket industry in the UK. Concerning about the
research objectives, they are as follows: (1) to identify factors impacting on environment-
friendly attitudes of UK consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK, (2) to analyse the
relationship between environment-friendly attitudes of UK consumers and their green buying
behaviours in the supermarket industry in the UK and (3) to give recommendations for UK
supermarkets to increase UK consumers’ buying frequency toward their green goods and
services in the future.
This research applies the philosophy of study (positivism), method of study (quantitative
method), approach of study (deduction approach), tool of study data collection (questionnaire),
approach of sampling (simple random sampling), size of sampling (150 UK consumers in the
supermarket industry in the UK) and strategy of study (survey strategy). This research uses
approaches of data analysis (reliability analysis approach, descriptive analysis approach and
linear linear regression analysis approach).
After this research conducts the linear regression analysis, H1, H2, H4 and H5 are accepted in
this research while H3 is not accepted in this research. Hence, environment-related knowledge
of consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK positively affects their environment-
friendly attitudes, price level of green product in the supermarket industry in the UK negatively
affects consumers’ environment-friendly attitudes and education level of consumers in the
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supermarket industry in the UK positively affects their environment-friendly attitudes.
However, gender of consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK does not affect their
environment-friendly attitudes. In addition, consumers’ environment-friendly attitude in the
supermarket industry in the UK positively affects their green purchase behaviour. This research
suggests recommendations for UK supermarkets to increase purchasing frequency of their
customers toward green/ organic products in the future.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................................................................... 2
CHAPTER ONE – INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................. 6
1.1 Research background .............................................................................................................................. 6
1.2 Research rationales ................................................................................................................................. 7
1.3 Research aim, research objectives and research questions ................................................................... 9
1.4 Structure of this research ..................................................................................................................... 10
CHAPTER TWO – LITERATURE REVIEW ....................................................................................................... 12
2.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 12
2.2 Environment-friendly attitude of consumers ....................................................................................... 12
2.3 Green purchase behaviours of consumers ........................................................................................... 13
2.4 Factors affecting environment-friendly attitudes of consumers .......................................................... 15
2.4.1 Effect of environment-related knowledge of consumers on their environment-friendly attitudes . 15
2.4.2 Effect of environment-friendly product price level on their environment-friendly attitudes ........... 17
2.4.3 Effect of educational level of UK consumers on their environment-friendly attitudes .................... 18
2.4.4 Effect of gender of UK consumers on their environment-friendly attitudes ..................................... 19
2.5 Effect of environment-friendly attitudes of consumers on their green purchase behaviours ............. 20
2.6 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................................21
CHAPTER THREE - METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................................. 24
3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................ .......................... 24
3.2 Research philosophy ............................................................................................................................. 24
3.3 Research method .................................................................................................................................. 25
3.4 Research approach................................................................................................................................ 25
3.5 Research strategy .................................................................................................................................. 26
3.6 Research data collection approach ....................................................................................................... 27
3.6.1 Tool of research data collection ........................................................................................................ 27
3.6.2 Sampling .............................................................................................................. ............................... 29
3.7 Research data analysis approach .......................................................................................................... 29
3.8 Research ethics ..................................................................................................................................... 30
3.9 Limitations of the research methodology ............................................................................................. 31
3.10 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................... 31
CHAPTER FOUR – ANALYSES AND DISCUSSIONS OF STUDY RESULTS ........................................................ 33
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4.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................33
4.2 Demographic information................................................................................................................................33
4.3 Reliability analysis of factors ...........................................................................................................................35
4.4 Factors affecting consumers’ environment-friendly in the supermarket industry in the UK................36
4.5 The effect of consumers’ environment-friendly attitudes on their green purchase behaviours in the
supermarket industry in the UK ............................................................................................................................43
4.6 Conclusion..........................................................................................................................................................45
CHAPTER FIVE – CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.............................................................................47
5.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................47
5.2 Study conclusions..............................................................................................................................................47
5.3 Study contributions...........................................................................................................................................48
5.4 Study limitations................................................................................................................................................49
5.5 Recommendations............................................................................................................................................51
5.6 Conclusion..........................................................................................................................................................53
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................................................54
QUESTIONNAIRE......................................................................................................................................................60
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CHAPTER ONE – INTRODUCTION
1.1 Research background
Business ethics and social responsibilities are considered as efficient marketing approaches
which increase positive awareness of clients about brands of organisations (Groucutt et al.,
2004). In terms of green marketing approaches, they are associated with viewpoints about
environmental protection and sustainability and many clients willingly buy goods and services
that are friendly to the environment (Kumar, 2010). However, study results associated with
attitudes and behaviours of consumers towards environment-friendly goods and services are
conflicting. In particular, De Pelsmacker et al. (2010) and Kumar (2010) indicate that clients are
willing to buy environment-friendly goods and services at the high prices while Pirani and
Scondi (2011) and Kaufmann et al. (2012) have indicated that clients only buy environment-
friendly goods and services at the low prices or suitable prices.
According to Cheah and Phau (2011), value orientation and interpersonal impacts of consumers
are related to their environment-friendly attitude and consumers with positive attitudes
towards the the environment sustainability protection often have high supports for organic
goods or green goods. Thus, it is important for companies that offer environment-friendly
goods and services to make their customers have the high perception of the benefits of their
environment-friendly goods and services for both protection of the sustainability of the
environment and offering of values for their customers. According to Madar et al. (2013), in the
United Kingdom (the UK), clients are highly interested in social responsibilities of companies. In
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particular, UK clients offer praise of companies which have ethical business in the country and
have good corporate social responsibilities. On the other hand, UK clients offer criticisms to
companies having unethical business in the country and have negative corporate social
responsibilities. Thus, companies that have business operations in the UK must understand this
thing to retain their current customers and to attract their new customers in the future. In the
UK supermarket industry, consumers focus much on buying products of supermarkets with the
positive corporate social responsibilities and give negative criticisms for supermarkets with
negative corporate social responsibilities. In addition, consumers can boycott products of
supermarkets with negative corporate social responsibilities (Euromonitor International., 2016).
1.2 Research rationales
With this research, the effect of environment-friendly attitudes of consumers on their green
purchase behaviours in the supermarket industry in the UK is investigated because of three
rationales as follows:
First, buying behaviours of consumers are not only crucial for increasing revenues and profit
margin of companies but also ensure the sustainability of development of business of the
companies (Crane, 2000; Singh, 2011). According to Ajzen (1991), one of crucial elements which
influence buying behaviours of consumers is attitudes of the consumers. Concerning about
ethical issues, consumers who have high commitments to ethics only buy goods and services of
companies when the companies are highly committed to ethical business operations and have
good corporate social responsibilities (De Pelsmacker et al., 2010). However, according to
Madar et al. (2013), some other consumers who have low commitments to ethical purchases of
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goods and services still make buying decisions of goods and services of companies with low
ethical business conductions. In this case, it is crucial for this study to assess whether
environment-friendly attitudes of consumers result in their buying behaviours of environment-
friendly goods and services.
Second, UK consumers highly pay attention to ethical business conduction of companies
because they give praise for companies with the high social responsibilities and ethical business
activities in the country. On the contrary, they will give criticisms for companies which the low
social responsibilities and unethical business conductions in the country (Madar et al., 2013).
Hence, this study will help UK supermarkets identify how attitudes of UK consumers towards
environment-friendly goods are affected by what elements and how environment-friendly
attitudes of the UK consumers affect their green purchase behaviours.
Last, there are a limited number of earlier researches about how environment-friendly
attitudes of consumers affect their buying behaviours (Madar et al., 2013). Hence, it is crucial
for this study to solve the lack of the theories in this study area. Then, other studies can use this
research as a valid information source to have deep understandings about elements influencing
environment-friendly attitudes of consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK and the
effect of environment-friendly attitudes of consumers in the UK on their green purchase
behaviours in the supermarket industry in the UK. Because of these rationales, this research
with the following title is chosen: “The effect of environment-friendly attitude of consumers on
their green purchase behaviours in the supermarket industry in the UK”.
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1.3 Research aim, research objectives and research questions
When this research is conducted, it aims to analyse the effect of environment-friendly attitudes
of consumers on their purchase behaviours in the supermarket industry in the UK. Concerning
about the research objectives, this study expects to gain the following ones:
- To identify factors impacting on environment-friendly attitudes of UK consumers in the
supermarket industry in the UK
- To analyse the relationship between environment-friendly attitudes of UK consumers and
their green buying behaviours in the supermarket industry in the UK
- To give recommendations for UK supermarkets to increase UK consumers’ buying frequency
toward their green goods and services in the future
Regarding the research questions, this study expects to answer the following ones:
- How are environment-friendly attitudes of UK consumers in the supermarket industry in the
UK impacted by environment-related knowledge of UK consumers, environment-friendly
product price level, educational level of UK consumers and gender of UK consumers?
- How do environment-friendly attitudes of UK consumers affect their green buying behaviours
in the supermarket industry in the UK?
- What are recommendations for UK supermarkets to increase UK consumers’ buying frequency
toward green goods and services in the future?
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1.4 Structure of this research
Concerning about the structure of the final research, this research will consist of five main
chapters as follows:
Chapter 1 is Introduction that has goals of presenting what study background, rationales for
conducting this study, objectives of this study, aim of this study, and questions of this study.
Moreover, this chapter presents the structure of this research to indicate what main contents
of this research.
Chapter 2 is Literature review that has goals of critically analysing and discussing literature
associated with study purpose and objectives. In detail, the chapter 2 critically analyses the key
literature concentrating on elements influencing environment-friendly attitudes of consumers
and the effect of environment-friendly attitudes of consumers on their green purchase
behaviours. Hypotheses about the relations between environment-friendly attitudes of
consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK and its antecedents and the relation between
environment-friendly attitudes of consumers in the UK and their green purchase behaviours in
the supermarket industry in the UK are proposed in this chapter. Moreover, this chapter will
build a research model for this study.
Chapter 3 is Methodology that has a goal of presenting what philosophy of study, method of
study, approach of study, tool of study data collection, approach of sampling, size of sampling,
and strategy of study are chosen. Moreover, this chapter indicates what ethical issues of this
study and methodology limitations of this study are.
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Chapter 4 is Analyses and discussions of study results and this chapter answers all research
questions. In particular, this chapter will explore what factors influencing environment-friendly
attitudes of consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK are and whether there is an effect
of environment-friendly attitudes of consumers on their green purchase behaviours in the
supermarket industry in the UK. Moreover, this chapter relates the research findings to earlier
researches to assess similarities and differences between them.
Chapter 5 is Conclusions and recommendations, which indicates all explored things, indicates all
contributions of this study, and indicates limitations of this study. In addition, this chapter
indicates recommendations for UK supermarkets to increase UK consumers’ buying frequency
toward green goods in the future.
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CHAPTER TWO – LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction
The Chapter 2 has goals of critically analysing and discussing the literature associated with
study purpose and study objectives. In detail, the chapter 2 critically analyses the key literature
concentrating on concept of environment-friendly attitude of consumers, concept of green
purchase behaviour of consumers, elements influencing environment-friendly attitudes of
consumers and the effect of environment-friendly attitudes of consumers on their green
purchase behaviours. Hypotheses about the relations between environment-friendly attitudes
of consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK and its antecedents and the relation
between environment-friendly attitudes of consumers in the UK and their green purchase
behaviours in the supermarket industry in the UK are proposed in this chapter. In addition, this
chapter will build a research model for this study.
2.2 Environment-friendly attitude of consumers
According to Hawkins et al. (2001), a consumer’s attitude is his or her emotional, cognitive,
motivational and perceptual towards goods and services of a company. When the consumer
has a positive attitude towards the goods and services of the company, they can conduct
consumption behaviour of the goods and services. On the other hand, when the consumer has
a negative attitude towards the goods and services of the company, they can buy other goods
and services of other companies. Pirani and Secondi (2011) indicate that environment-friendly
attitudes of consumers are defined as favourable evaluations and positive emotional feelings
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towards environment-friendly goods and services. When consumers have positive attitudes
towards environment-friendly goods and services, they will have high supports for these
environment-friendly goods and services and will buy more environment-friendly goods and
services.
Madar et al. (2013) indicate that environment-friendly attitudes of consumers are started from
their self-awareness about the environment sustainability protection. Consumers’ attitudes
towards environment-friendly goods and services have a positive effect on their decisions of
buying green goods and services. There are common believes of environmental researchers and
environmental activists that in terms of buying green goods and services, consumers can
contribute to enhancement of the environment sustainability protection because the
environment sustainability is based on practices, knowledge and attitudes of consumers. Thus,
consumers’ attitudes toward green goods and services are the most crucial element which
predicts their willingness to purchase green goods and services. Indeed, when consumers have
positive attitudes toward green goods and services, they will buy these green goods and
services to serve their needs rather than buying goods and services that are not environment-
friendly. There are more and more consumers who have positive attitudes toward green goods
and services, the sustainability of the environment will be retained and protected (Padel and
Foster, 2005; Pirani and Secondi, 2011).
2.3 Green purchase behaviours of consumers
Kim and Choi (2005) and Paul and Rana (2012) indicate that consumers’ purchase behaviours
are defined as the behaviours which they present in the process of searching, purchasing, using,
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offering assessments and disposing of services and goods which are expected to meet demands
of the consumers. Consumer behaviour focuses much on indicating how the consumers make
decisions to use their own resources (money, effort and time) on products and services like
what the consumers need to purchase, why the products and services need to be purchases,
where the products and services need to be purchased, when the products and services need
to purchases, how often the products and services should be purchased, how often the
products and services are used, how the consumers evaluate the products and services after
they buy and use the products and services, how the influences of such evaluation on the
future purchase and how the consumers dispose of the products and services.
According to Beckford et al. (2010), there are two various types of consumption entities,
namely corporate consumers and individual consumers. Corporate consumers are profit
companies, non-profit companies, institutional entities and governmental agencies and the
corporate consumers buy goods, equipment and services to run their business operations.
Individual consumers are people who buy services and goods to serve their living needs. Pirani
and Secondi (2011) define that consumers’ green purchase behaviours are the behaviours of
the consumers of buying environment-friendly goods and services to protect the environment.
The green buying behaviours of consumers are started from their positive attitudes toward
environment-friendly goods. Green buying behaviours of consumers will lead to the
environment sustainability because it requests firms to increase their social responsibilities and
to ensure good business ethics (Madar et al., 2013).
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2.4 Factors affecting environment-friendly attitudes of consumers
2.4.1 Effect of environment-related knowledge of consumers on their environment-friendly
attitudes
According to Kempton et al. (1995), environment-related knowledge is about the common
understanding about definition, matters, and relationships amongst the environment and the
main eco-systems. Environment-related knowledge is associated with what individuals know
about the general environment, key relationships leading to the environmental influences, and
common responsibilities that are important to the general environment sustainability (Rokicka,
2002). According to Fryxell and Lo (2003), having a substantial level of environment-related
knowledge creates better behaviours of people about the environmental protection.
Ismail and Panni (2008) and Vermeir and Verebeke (2006) indicate that most people do not
have much knowledge about environment-associated matters and then they do not have right
actions towards the environment protection and do not buy green goods and services. Indeed,
consumers still purchase goods and services of organisations that have negative corporate
social responsibilities and unethical business operations because they lack knowledge about the
common environment problems and the bad corporate social responsibilities of these
organisations. Hence, a lack of environment-related information and corporate social
responsibilities of organisations result in wrong decisions of purchasing goods and services of
consumers. According to Davies et al. (1995) and Brown and Russell (1998), a lack of availability
of information of green goods and services is considered as one of the main barriers to conduct
green buying decisions of consumers.
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Mostafa (2009) recognise that environment-associated knowledge of consumers will increase
their environment-friendly attitudes and they will have high supports for green goods and
services. A large number of consumers are motivated to make buying decisions of green goods
and services but the motivations of the consumers are not translated in their buying behaviours
because there is low information availability related to social responsibilities of organisations
and the natural environment. Thus, to increase high awareness of consumers about the natural
environment protection and to enhance the positive attitudes towards green goods and
services, the sufficient information availability of green goods and services and the sufficient
information availability about social responsibilities of organisations are required. In addition,
the environmental claims have to be genuine and right so that clients have right perceptions
about the environment-related information to create a motive for them to buy green goods
and services to protect the environmental sustainability. In short, many earlier researches
including Mostafa (2009), Ismail and Panni (2008), Vermeir and Verebeke (2006), Brown and
Russell (1998) and Davies et al. (1995) indicate that consumers’ environment-related
knowledge has a positive effect on their environment-friendly attitudes. Based on the above
analyses, this research proposes a hypothesis about the the relation amongst environment-
friendly attitudes of consumers and their environment-related knowledge in the supermarket
industry in the UK as follows:
H1: Consumers’ environment-related knowledge has a positive influence on their
environment-friendly attitudes in the supermarket industry in the UK.
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2.4.2 Effect of environment-friendly product price level on their environment-friendly
attitudes
According to Change (2011), lower price levels of green goods and services help consumers
save expenses of consumption and create encouragement for the consumers to buy these
green goods and services. When needs for green goods and services of consumers are
determined by the price level of these green goods and services of an organisation, a lower
price degree can be a successful strategy for this organisation. When the price degrees of goods
and services are offered at the same degrees, positive characteristics of these goods and
services about the environmental protection can be used as competition edge. If a company
has higher price degrees of the green goods and services, an important thing – the marketing
programs of differentiated green goods and services need to be concentrated on.
According to Grail Research (2010) and Emgin and Turk (2004), consumers never buy
environment-friendly goods and services because they have high awareness about too high
prices of the green goods and services. In addition, according to Boztepe (2012), price level of
green goods and services decide consumers’ attitudes toward the green goods and services
because consumers will not willing to buy green goods and services at the high prices. In short,
many earlier researches including Boztepe (2012), Chang (2011), Grail Reserch (2010) and
Emgin and Turk (2004) indicate that the price level of green good and service has a negative
effect on environment-friendly attitudes of consumers. Based on the above analyses, this
research proposes a hypothesis about the the relation amongst environment-friendly attitudes
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of consumers and environment-friendly product level in the supermarket industry in the UK as
follows:
H2: Price level of environment-friendly product has a negative influence on environment-
friendly attitudes of consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK.
2.4.3 Effect of educational level of UK consumers on their environment-friendly attitudes
According to Hustad and Pessemier (1973), consumers with the high education level often have
enough environment-related knowledge and then they often make consumption decisions
through basing on their environment-related knowledge. They will have high supports and have
positive attitudes toward green goods and services. They will offer criticisms for companies who
have unethical business operations and negative corporate social responsibilities. Therefore,
companies that have a large number of customers with the high educational level need to pay
much attention to this thing.
According to Boztepe (2012) and Diamantolopous et al. (2003), the higher education levels of
consumers, the higher environment-friendly attitudes are. In particular, consumers with the
high educational level often have high perceptions about the environment protection and often
buy green goods and services. In addition, Kaufmann et al. (2012) indicate that consumers with
lower educational level will have little knowledge about the environment protection and then
they have less positive attitudes toward green goods and services and seem not to buy green
goods and services. In short, many earlier researches including Kaufmann et al. (2012), Boztepe
(2012), Diamantolopous et al. (2003) and Hustad and Pessemier (1973) indicate that
18

consumers’ educational level has a positive effect on their environment-friendly attitudes.
Based on the above analyses, this research proposes a hypothesis about the the relation
amongst environment-friendly attitudes of consumers and their educational level in the
supermarket industry in the UK as follows:
H3: Consumers’ educational level has a positive influence on their environment-friendly
attitudes in the supermarket industry in the UK.
2.4.4 Effect of gender of UK consumers on their environment-friendly attitudes
Tikka et al. (2000) and Mainier et al. (1997) indicate that consumers’ gender has a high effect on
their environment-friendly attitudes. In other words, there is a high difference between male
consumers and female consumers in their environment-friendly attitudes. In particular, the
researchers indicate that female consumers have more positive environment-friendly attitudes
compared with male consumers because the female consumers have high awareness about the
importance of buying green goods and services and they are willing to buy green goods and
services to protect the environment sustainability. Moreover, according to Diamantolopous et
al. (2003) indicate that gender of consumers has a high effect on their environment-friendly
attitudes because female consumers pay more attention to the protection of environment and
want to buy more green goods and services compared with male consumers. In short, many
earlier researches including Diamantolopous et al. (2003), Tikka et al. (2000) and Mainier et al.
(1997) indicate that consumers’ gender has a high effect on their environment-friendly
attitudes. Based on the above analyses, this research proposes a hypothesis about the the
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relation amongst environment-friendly attitudes of consumers and their gender in the
supermarket industry in the UK as follows:
H4: Consumers’ gender has a positive influence on their environment-friendly attitudes in the
supermarket industry in the UK.
2.5 Effect of environment-friendly attitudes of consumers on their green purchase behaviours
According to Kim and Choi (2005), environment-friendly attitudes of consumers have a positive
effect on their green purchase behaviours because the consumers have the high attention to
the natural environmental matters and they are willing to buy green goods and services to
protect the environment sustainability. According to Cornelissen et al. (2008), consumers with
positive attitudes toward environment-friendly goods and services have positive purchase
behaviours of the environment-friendly goods and services. On the other hand, consumers with
the less attention to the environment matters (such as the environment pollution is increasing
and the earth is warming) will still buy goods and services of companies harming the
environment.
Similarly, many other researchers agree that there is a positive effect of environment-friendly
attitudes of consumers on their green purchase behaviours. In detail, according to Mostafa
(2009), consumers’ environment-friendly attitudes predict the environment protection,
conservation of energy and purchase of environment-friendly goods and services. According to
Beckford et al. (2010), consumers’ positive attitudes towards green goods and services have a
positive impact on their green purchase behaviours because the consumers having
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environment-friendly attitudes will only make purchase decisions of organic or green goods and
services. In short, there are many earlier researches including Beckford et al. (2010), Mostafa
(2009), Cornelissen et al. (2008) and Kim and Choi (2005) agree that consumers’ attitudes
toward environment-friendly goods and services have a positive effect on their green purchase
behaviours. Based on the above analyses, this research proposes a hypothesis about the the
relation amongst environment-friendly attitudes of consumers and their green buying
behaviours in the supermarket industry in the UK as follows:
H5: Consumers’ environment-friendly attitude has a positive influence on their green
purchase behaviour in the supermarket industry in the UK.
2.6 Conclusion
This chapter has critically analysed the key literature concentrating on concept of environment-
friendly attitude of consumers, concept of green purchase behaviour of consumers, elements
influencing environment-friendly attitudes of consumers and the effect of environment-friendly
attitudes of consumers on their green purchase behaviours. After critically analysing the
literature associated with the study purpose and the study objectives, this chapter has
proposed hypotheses about the relations between environment-friendly attitudes of
consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK and its antecedents (environment-related
knowledge of UK consumers, environment-friendly product price level, educational level of UK
consumers and gender of UK consumers) and the relation between environment-friendly
attitudes of consumers and their green purchase behaviours in the supermarket industry in the
UK. In addition, this chapter builds a research model for this study like figure 1.
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Figure 1: The research model of this dissertation
Environment-related
knowledge
H1
Price level of green
product and service Environment- Green purchase
H2 friendly attitude behaviour of
of consumers in consumers in the
the supermarket supermarket
industry in the UK industry in the UK
Educational level
H3 H5
Gender
H4
The research model of this dissertation has five hypotheses as follows:
H1: Consumers’ environment-related knowledge has a positive influence on their environment-
friendly attitudes in the supermarket industry in the UK.
H2: Price level of environment-friendly product has a negative influence on environment-
friendly attitudes of consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK.
H3: Consumers’ educational level has a positive influence on their environment-friendly
attitudes in the supermarket industry in the UK.
22

H4: Consumers’ gender has a positive influence on their environment-friendly attitudes in the
supermarket industry in the UK.
H5: Consumers’ environment-friendly attitude has a positive influence on their green purchase
behaviour in the supermarket industry in the UK.
23

CHAPTER THREE - METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction
This chapter has a goal of presenting what philosophy of study, method of study, approach of
study, tool of study data collection, approach of sampling, size of sampling, and strategy of
study are chosen. Moreover, this chapter indicates what approaches of data analysis, ethical
issues of this study and methodology limitations of this study are.
3.2 Research philosophy
In terms of research philosophy, there are three popular ones which are sought by researchers.
The first one is positivism philosophy and it is about the study philosophy of using objective
evidences to clarify things that need to be investigated (Merriam and Tisdell, 2015). The second
one is interpretivism philosophy and it is about the study philosophy of using subjective
viewpoints to clarity things which need to be explained (Maxwell, 2013). The last one is
pragmatism philosophy and it is about the research philosophy of using both objective
evidences and subjective viewpoints to clarify and explain research matters (Seidman, 2012).
The positivism philosophy is the research philosophy of this dissertation because the author of
this dissertation clarifies study matters through usage of objective evidences rather than
subjective viewpoints. Moreover, the positive philosophy helps this research increase the
validity of study outcomes and then this research can be a valid literature to apply in practice
(Merriam and Tisdell, 2015).
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3.3 Research method
Regarding research method, there are two popular ones that are utilized by researchers. The
first one is qualitative study method and it is about usage of non-numerical information to
deepen study issues (Seidman, 2012). The second one is quantitative study method and it is
about usage of numerical data to achieve study purposes (Roberts, 2010). The quantitative
study method is the research method of this dissertation because usage of numerical data that
are collected from questionnaire to evaluate factors influencing environment-friendly attitudes
of consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK and the relation amongst environment-
friendly attitudes of consumers and their green purchase behaviours in the supermarket
industry in the UK. In addition, the quantitative study method is often related to the philosophy
of positivism to gain the objective and valid study findings (Patton, 2014).
3.4 Research approach
In the form of research approach, there are two popular ones that are applied by researchers.
The first one is deductive approach and it is about utilization of current literature to examine
the literature in the particular context rather than development of new literature (Osborne,
2007). The second one is inductive approach and it is about development of new literature for
study fields that lack of available information (Ogden, 2006). The research approach of this
dissertation is deductive approach because this dissertation utilizes the current literature about
the relations between environment-friendly attitudes of consumers and its antecedents in the
supermarket industry in the UK and the relation between environment-friendly attitudes of
consumers and their green purchase behaviours in the supermarket industry in the UK. Indeed,
25

this research initially reviews the literature related to factors influencing environment-friendly
attitudes of consumers and the relation between environment-friendly attitudes of consumers
and their green purchase behaviours, proposes hypotheses in the context of the UK
supermarket industry, collects data, analyses collected data, and examines the hypotheses to
offer conclusions. In addition, usage of the deductive approach helps this research reduce the
amount of study time and this research can be completed in the shorted time compared with
inductive research (Miles et al., 2013).
3.5 Research strategy
When referring to research strategy, there are three popular ones that are widely used by
researchers. The first one is case study strategy and it is about exploration of research issues
related to a single case or some cases rather than all cases (Joyner et al., 2012). The second one
is action research strategy and it is about exploration of research issues in the working setting
of the researchers to handle problems in the working setting (Butin, 2009). The last one is
survey strategy and it is about exploration of research issues through surveying representative
individuals rather than surveying all targeted population (Boeije). The research strategy of this
dissertation is survey strategy because it explores research issues through surveying
representative individuals (a certain number of consumers in the supermarket industry in the
UK) rather than all UK consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK. Moreover, the survey
strategy helps this research reduce the amount of data collection time and decrease the
number of money of using in the data collection process through surveying representative
individuals rather than all targeted population (Creswell, 2012).
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3.6 Research data collection approach
3.6.1 Tool of research data collection
Regarding the tool of research data collection, a questionnaire is used by this research because
it helps this research collect uniform numerical data to explore hypotheses of this research. In
addition, this research uses the questionnaire to have expected information because it reaches
many consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK simultaneously to reduce the amount of
data collection time and to decrease the number of money of using in the data collection
process and it encourages true answers of consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK
through anonymous questionnaire (Cargan, 2007). In order to gain the needed information, this
research’s questionnaire has two parts. The first one is to ask demographics data of consumers
in the supermarket industry in the UK like educational level, gender, marital status, and gender
and has 4 questions. The second one is to ask elements influencing environment-friendly
attitude of consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK and the relation amongst
environment-friendly attitude of consumers and their green purchase behaviour in the
supermarket industry in the UK and has 24 questions. The questionnaire’s structure is designed
carefully. Moreover, pre-test of the questionnaire is performed by this research and the pre-
test is conducted on 15 consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK to evaluate limitations
of the questionnaire. In fact, the pre-test shows that the questionnaire is valid since the 15 UK
consumers understand and answer all questions of the questionnaire. Thus, the questionnaire
is used to survey 150 consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK. The detailed structure
of the questionnaire is shown in table 1.
27

Table 1: The questionnaire structure
Information The number Types of References
of questions questions
Consumers’ demographics 1 – 4 Close-ended By this dissertation’s
information questions author
Consumers’ environment- 5 – 8 Likert scale Mostafa (2009), Ismail and
related knowledge questions Panni (2008) and Vermeir
and Verbeke (2006)
Price level of green product 9 – 12 Boztepe (2012)
The relationship amongst 13 – 16 Diamantolopous et al.
gender and consumers’ (2003) and Tikka et al.
environment-friendly attitude (2000)
The relationship amongst 17 – 20 Kaufmann et al. (2012)
educational level and and Boztepe (2012)
consumers’ environment-
friendly attitude
Consumers’ environment- 21 – 24 Mostafa (2009),
friendly attitude Cornelissen et al. (2008),
Kim and Choi (2005) and
Ajzen (1991)
Consumer’s green purchase 25 – 28 Mostafa (2009),
behaviour Cornelissen et al. (2008),
Kim and Choi (2005) and
Ajzen (1991)
28

3.6.2 Sampling
Regarding sampling approach, researchers can choose to apply non-random sampling or
random sampling to gain their sample. For non-random sampling, this sampling approach
requires researchers to take their sample based on their initial intentions. On the other hand,
the random sampling approach helps researchers take their sample randomly through creating
same opportunities for respondents (Winstanley, 2012). According to Yin (2013), this research
applies the simple random sampling approach since this sampling approach creates same
opportunities for respondents to be chosen and then it increases the generalization of gathered
information (Trainor and Graue, 2012). In terms of the size of sampling, this research selects
the size of sampling of 150 UK consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK since Single
and Reis (2009) indicate that the size of sampling should be at least five times larger than items
measuring variables in the questionnaire. This research has 24 items measuring variables in the
questionnaire and then, the size of sampling of 150 UK consumers is suitable for this research
and this research collects information from the 150 UK consumers in the supermarket industry
in the UK through the internet (Google Docs).
3.7 Research data analysis approach
All collected data from questionnaire are analysed by the quantitative analysis approaches. In
detail, this research applies three quantitative analysis approaches, that is, descriptive analysis
approach, reliability analysis approach and linear linear regression analysis approach. Firstly, in
terms of the descriptive analysis approach, individual information of surveyed UK consumers in
the supermarket industry in the UK (age, marital status, gender, and educational level) is
29

analysed. Regarding the reliability analysis approach, the levels of reliability of variables
(consisting of environment-related knowledge, price level of environment-friendly product and
service, educational level of consumers, gender of consumers, environment-friendly attitude of
consumer and green purchase behaviour of consumer) are evaluated. Moreover, linear linear
regression analysis helps this research assess the relations between environment-friendly
attitudes of consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK and its antecedents
(environment-related knowledge of UK consumers, environment-friendly product and service
price level, educational level of UK consumers and gender of UK consumers) and the relation
between environment-friendly attitudes of consumers and their green purchase behaviours in
the supermarket industry in the UK.
3.8 Research ethics
When conducting academic studies, it requires researchers to obey all study ethics. As a
researcher, the author of this dissertation ensures that all requirements about research ethics
are obeyed. In particular, the author of this dissertation only collects data from UK consumers
in the supermarket industry in the UK who have high voluntariness and protects their
anonymity through application of anonymous questionnaire. The author of this dissertation
also assures that surveyed consumers have deep understandings about study objectives and all
data that are gathered from these consumers are only applied to explain study issues of this
dissertation. In addition, the author of this dissertation stores all collected data carefully and
respondents have the right to reject offering data for this dissertation whenever they want to
make this thing.
30

3.9 Limitations of the research methodology
After selecting the above study methodology, this research faces three key limitations in terms
of the selected research methodology. Firstly, the depth of study findings of this research can
be limited because the quantitative study method cannot help this research collect deep data
as the qualitative study method (Wolcott, 2009). Secondly, this research’s data collection tool is
questionnaire and it is more effective for this research to use other tools like focus groups or
interviews to gain deeper information. Finally, although the sampling size of this research of
150 UK consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK is average, it cannot indicate all ideas
of all UK consumers about their environment-friendly attitudes and their green purchase
behaviours.
3.10 Conclusion
This chapter has presented reasons for applying the philosophy of study (positivism), method of
study (quantitative method), approach of study (deduction approach), tool of study data
collection (questionnaire), approach of sampling (simple random sampling), size of sampling
(150 UK consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK) and strategy of study (survey
strategy). This chapter has also indicated reasons for using approaches of data analysis
(reliability analysis approach, descriptive analysis approach and linear linear regression analysis
approach). In addition, ethical issues of this study and methodology limitations of this study
have been presented in this chapter.
31

CHAPTER FOUR – ANALYSES AND DISCUSSIONS OF STUDY RESULTS
4.1 Introduction
This chapter answers all study questions. In detail, this chapter identifies what elements
affecting consumers’ environment-friendly attitudes in the supermarket industry in the UK are
and whether there is an effect of consumers’ environment-friendly attitudes on their green
purchase behaviours in the supermarket industry in the UK. Moreover, this chapter relates the
research findings of this dissertation to earlier studies in order to explore what are different
aspects and similar aspects between them are.
4.2 Demographic information
For consumers’ personal information in the supermarket industry in the UK, table 2 helps this
research to describe what their personal information is. The researcher delivered the
questionnaire to 150 consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK but 145 consumers in
this industry answered the questionnaire. Hence, the researcher decides to use the information
offered by these 145 consumers to gain all research objectives.
33

Table 2: Personal information of consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK
Demographics of UK consumers Frequency Percentage
Gender Male 87 60%
Female 58 40%
Age Under 30 years old 49 33.8%
30 – 34 years old 70 48.3%
35 – 39 years old 10 6.9%
40 – 44 years old 10 6.9%
45 years old and over 6 4.1%
Education level Under university 15 10.3%
University 76 52.4%
Postgraduate 54 37.2%
Marital status Single 105 72.4%
Married 40 27.6%
From the table 2, in the survey, there are 60% of male consumers and 40% of female
consumers. There are 89% of surveyed consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK that
are young people (39 years old and below) and there are 11% of surveyed consumers in this
industry with 40 years old and above. For the education level, there are 89.7% of surveyed
consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK with the university level and the postgraduate
level. In addition, there are 72.4% of surveyed consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK
that are single people and there are 27.6% of surveyed consumers in this industry that are
married people.
34

4.3 Reliability analysis of factors
Researchers can use a coefficient of Cronbach’s Alpha to evaluate the degree of reliability of
factors. Through Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient greater than 0.7, the factors are reliable (Garson,
2013). Hence, this research uses the Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient greater than 0.7 to evaluate
the degree of reliability of six factors consisting of consumers’ environment-related knowledge,
price level of green product, education level of consumer, gender of consumer, consumers’
environment-friendly attitude and consumer green purchase behaviour. Table 3 indicates the
degree of reliability of the six factors.
Table 3: Results of the reliability analysis of factors
Factors Items Cronbach’s Alpha The degree of
measuring coefficients of reliability of
factors factors factors
Consumers’ environment- 3 items 0.849
related knowledge (CERK) All six factors are
reliablePrice level of green 3 items 0.806
product (PLOGP)
Education level of 3 items 0.779
consumer (ELOC)
Gender of consumer (GOC) 3 items 0.880
Consumers’ environment- 3 items 0.774
friendly attitude (CEFA)
Consumers’ green 3 items 0.797
purchase behaviour (CGPB)
35

From the table 3, all six factors consisting of CERK, PLOGP, ELOC, GOC, CEFA, and CGPB have the
Cronbach’s Alpha coefficients that are greater than 0.7. Indeed, all the six factors of CERK,
PLOGP, ELOC, GOC, CEFA, and CGPB have the Cronbach’s Alpha coefficients that are in turn
0.849, 0.806, 0.779, 0.800, 0.774 and 0.797. Thus, the six factors are reliable and are
appropriate for this research to examine their relations in the next sections.
4.4 Factors affecting consumers’ environment-friendly in the supermarket industry in the UK
Linear regression analysis method can be utilized as an effective method for assessing the
relations amongst factors. A prerequisite standard for linear regression analysis is sig. (p-value)
lower than 0.05 (Pallant, 2005). Hence, this research uses the prerequisite standard to assess
what factors affecting consumers’ environment-friendly attitude in the supermarket industry in
the UK are and what the relationship amongst consumers’ environment-friendly attitude and
their green purchase behaviour in the supermarket industry in the UK. Table 4 and table 5
indicate factors affecting consumers’ environment-friendly in the supermarket industry in the
UK.
Table 4: Model summary of consumers’ environment-friendly attitude in the supermarket
industry in the UK
Model R R Square Adjusted R Square Std. Error of the Estimate
1 0.599 0.358 0.340 0.66958
36

Table 5: Coefficients of consumers’ environment-friendly attitude in the supermarket
industry in the UK
Hypotheses Variables Unstandardized Standardized Confirmed/
Coefficients Coefficients Rejected
Std.
B Error Beta t Sig.
Constant 2.287 0.268 8.538 0.000
H1 Consumers’
environment-
0.542 0.090 0.656 6.053 0.000 Confirmed
related knowledge
(CERK)
H2 Price level of green
-0.296 0.104 -0.405 -2.874 0.005 Confirmed
product (PLOGP)
H3 Education level of
0.320 0.078 0.409 4.111 0.000 Confirmed
consumer (ELOC)
H4 Gender of consumer
-0.074 0.128 -0.084 -0.575 0.566 Rejected
(GOC)
How consumers’ environment-friendly attitude in the supermarket industry in the UK is
affected by their environment-related knowledge
Study results
In the table 5, environment-related knowledge of consumers in the supermarket industry in the
UK positively affects their environment-friendly attitudes because sig. (p-value) of the factor is
37

0.000 that is lower than 0.05 and the Beta coefficient of the factor is 0.656. Thus, H1 is
confirmed in this research.
Discussion of study results
In this research, it is confirmed that consumers’ environment-friendly attitudes are positively
affected by their environment knowledge. The study result is similar to the study result of
previous studies including Mostafa (2009), Ismail and Panni (2008), Vermeir and Verebeke
(2006), Brown and Russell (1998) and Davies et al. (1995) because the studies reflect that
consumers’ environment-related knowledge has a positive effect on their environment-friendly
attitudes. Indeed, environment-associated knowledge of consumers will increase their
environment-friendly attitudes and they will have high supports for green goods and services.
When consumers have high knowledge about environment-associated problems and high
responsibility for the environmental protection, they will have positive attitudes toward
environment-friendly products. In the supermarket industry in the UK, a large number of
consumers are motivated to make buying decisions of green goods of organisations with the
positive social responsibilities. On the other hand, consumers are willing to boycott
environment-unfriendly products of organisations in this industry.
affected by price level of green product
Study results
38

In the table 5, price level of green products in the supermarket industry in the UK negatively
affects consumers’ environment-friendly attitudes because sig. (p-value) of the factor is 0.005
that is lower than 0.05 and the Beta coefficient of the factor is -0.405. Thus, H2 is confirmed in
this research.
This research explores that price level of green product negatively affects consumers’
environment-friendly attitudes in the supermarket in the UK. The study result is similar to the
study result of previous studies including Boztepe (2012), Chang (2011), Grail Reserch (2010)
and Emgin and Turk (2004) because the studies reflect that suitable price levels of green/
organic products will encourage consumers to purchase these products. When consumers’
demands for products are determined by price levels of a company, lower price levels will be an
effective strategy for the company. There are many consumers that never buy green products
because they perceive that the green products have too expensive price levels. In the
supermarket industry in the UK, price levels of green products are the main reason that
consumers choose not to buy the green products. When price levels of green products are
similar with conventional products and the green products have features of protecting the
environmental sustainability, the green products will be bought by consumers in the
supermarket industry in the UK. In this case, price levels of organic products are greater than
conventional products and then, a crucial thing – campaign of promotion of differentiated
organic products should be concentrated to increase positive perceptions of consumers in the
UK.
39

affected by their education level
Study results
In the table 5, education level of consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK positively
affects their environment-friendly attitudes because sig. (p-value) of the factor is 0.000 that is
lower than 0.05 and the Beta coefficient of the factor is 0.409. Thus, H3 is confirmed in this
research.
This research recognizes that education level of consumers in the supermarket industry in the
UK positively affects their environment-friendly attitudes. The study result is similar to the
study result of previous studies including Kaufmann et al. (2012), Boztepe (2012),
Diamantolopous et al. (2003) and Hustad and Pessemier (1973) because the studies indicate
that consumers’ educational level has a positive effect on their environment-friendly attitudes.
Consumers with the high education level often have enough environment-related knowledge
and then they often make consumption decisions through basing on their environment-related
knowledge. They will have high supports and have positive attitudes toward green goods. They
will offer criticisms for companies who have unethical business operations and negative
corporate social responsibilities. Hence, companies that have a large number of customers with
the high educational level need to pay much attention to this thing. In the supermarket industry
in the UK, the higher education levels of consumers, the higher environment-friendly attitudes
40

are. Consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK with the high educational level often
have high perceptions about the environment protection and often buy green goods of
supermarkets in the UK. In addition, consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK with
lower educational level will have little knowledge about the environment protection and then
they have less positive attitudes toward green goods of supermarkets in the UK and seem not
to buy green goods of the supermarkets.
affected by their gender
Study results
In the table 5, gender of consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK does not affect their
environment-friendly attitudes because sig. (p-value) of the factor is 0.566 that is higher than
0.05. Thus, H4 is not confirmed in this research.
The researcher confirms that consumers’ gender in the supermarket industry in the UK does
not affect their environment-friendly attitudes. The study result is different from the study
result of previous studies including Diamantolopous et al. (2003), Tikka et al. (2000) and
Mainier et al. (1997) because the studies indicate that consumers’ gender has a high effect on
their environment-friendly attitudes. There is a high difference between male consumers and
female consumers in their environment-friendly attitudes. In particular, female consumers have
more positive environment-friendly attitudes compared with male consumers because the
41

female consumers have high awareness about the importance of buying green goods and
services and they are willing to buy green goods and services to protect the environment
sustainability. In the supermarket industry in the UK, gender of consumers does not have any
effect on their environment-friendly attitudes because both male consumers and female
consumers pay attention to the protection of environment and want to buy green goods of
supermarkets.
In the table 4, R Square of the model is 0.358 and the R Square reflects that 35.8 percent of the
variance of consumers’ environment-friendly attitudes in the supermarket industry in the UK is
explained by three variables affecting it, namely, consumers’ environment-related knowledge,
price level of green product, and education level of consumers. Other variables that this
research does not investigate can explain 64.2 percent of the variance of consumers’
environment-friendly attitudes in the supermarket industry in the UK.
In short, the study results from the linear regression analysis confirm that H1, H2, and H4 are
accepted in this research while H3 is not accepted in this research. Hence, environment-related
knowledge of consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK positively affects their
environment-friendly attitudes, price level of green product in the supermarket industry in the
UK negatively affects consumers’ environment-friendly attitudes and education level of
consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK positively affects their environment-friendly
attitudes. However, gender of consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK does not affect
their environment-friendly attitudes.
42

4.5 The effect of consumers’ environment-friendly attitudes on their green purchase
behaviours in the supermarket industry in the UK
Table 6: Model summary of consumers’ green purchase behaviour in the supermarket
industry in the UK
Adjusted R Std. Error of the
Model R R Square Square Estimate
1 0.476 0.226 0.211 0.90869
Table 7: Coefficients of consumers’ green purchase behaviour in the supermarket industry in
the UK
Hypotheses Variables Standardize Confirmed/
Unstandardized d Rejected
Coefficients Coefficients
Std.
B Error Beta t Sig.
Constant 1.259 0.401 3.138 0.002
H5 Consumers’
environment-
0.594 0.092 0.476 6.465 0.000 Confirmed
friendly attitude
(CEFA)
Study results
43

In the table 7, consumers’ environment-friendly attitude in the supermarket industry in the UK
positively affects their green purchase behaviour because sig. (p-value) of the factor is 0.000
that is lower than 0.05 and the Beta coefficient of the factor is 0.476. Thus, H5 is confirmed in
this research.
The researcher explores that consumers’ environment-friendly attitude in the supermarket
industry in the UK positively affects their green purchase behaviour. The study result is similar
to the study result of previous studies including Beckford et al. (2010), Mostafa (2009),
Cornelissen et al. (2008) and Kim and Choi (2005) because the studies agree that consumers’
attitudes toward environment-friendly goods and services have a positive effect on their green
purchase behaviours. In particular, According to Kim and Choi (2005), environment-friendly
attitudes of consumers have a positive effect on their green purchase behaviours because the
consumers have the high attention to the natural environmental matters and they are willing to
buy green goods and services to protect the environment sustainability. consumers with
positive attitudes toward environment-friendly goods have positive purchase behaviours of the
environment-friendly goods. On the other hand, consumers with the less attention to the
environment matters (such as the environment pollution is increasing and the earth is
warming) will still buy goods of companies harming the environment. In the supermarket
industry in the UK, there is a positive effect of environment-friendly attitudes of consumers on
their green purchase behaviours. Consumers’ environment-friendly attitudes in the
supermarket industry in the UK predict the environment protection, conservation of energy and
44

purchase of environment-friendly goods in this industry. Consumers’ positive attitudes towards
green goods in the supermarket industry in the UK have a positive impact on their green
purchase behaviours because the consumers having environment-friendly attitudes will only
make purchase decisions of organic or green goods in this industry.
In the table 6, R Square of the model is 0.226 and the R Square reflects that 22.6 percent of the
variance of consumers’ green purchase behaviour in the supermarket industry in the UK is
explained by the consumers’ environment-friendly attitude. Other variables that this research
does not investigate can explain 77.4 percent of the variance of consumers’ green purchase
behaviour in the supermarket industry in the UK. In short, the study result from the linear
regression analysis confirms that H5 is accepted in this research. In other words, consumers’
environment-friendly attitude in the supermarket industry in the UK positively affects their
green purchase behaviour.
4.6 Conclusion
This chapter has described personal information of surveyed consumers in the supermarket
industry in the UK. After this research conducts the analysis of reliability through Cronbach’s
Alpha, this research confirms that all the six factors (consisting of consumers’ environment-
related knowledge, price level of green product, education level of consumer, gender of
consumer, consumers’ environment-friendly attitude and consumer green purchase behaviour)
are reliable because they have Cronbach’s Alpha coefficients that are greater than 0.7. After
this research conducts the linear regression analysis, H1, H2, H4 and H5 are accepted in this
research while H3 is not accepted in this research. Hence, environment-related knowledge of
45

attitudes, price level of green product in the supermarket industry in the UK negatively affects
consumers’ environment-friendly attitudes and education level of consumers in the
supermarket industry in the UK positively affects their environment-friendly attitudes.
However, gender of consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK does not affect their
environment-friendly attitudes. In addition, consumers’ environment-friendly attitude in the
supermarket industry in the UK positively affects their green purchase behaviour.
46

CHAPTER FIVE – CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Introduction
This chapter will indicate all things that are explored by this research and will indicate
contributions of this research. This chapter also aims to indicate limitations of this research. In
addition, this chapter will indicate recommendations for UK supermarkets to increase
purchasing frequency of their customers toward green/ organic products in the future.
5.2 Study conclusions
When this research is conducted, it aims to analyse the effect of environment-friendly attitudes
of consumers on their purchase behaviours in the supermarket industry in the UK. Concerning
about the research objectives, they are as follows: (1) to identify factors impacting on
environment-friendly attitudes of UK consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK, (2) to
analyse the relationship between environment-friendly attitudes of UK consumers and their
green buying behaviours in the supermarket industry in the UK and (3) to give
recommendations for UK supermarkets to increase UK consumers’ buying frequency toward
their green goods and services in the future. The general aim and specific objectives have been
gained by this research and the following explored research results prove the achievement of
the general aim and specific objectives:
Firstly, after this research conducts the linear regression analysis, H1, H2 and H4 are accepted in
this research while H3 is not accepted in this research. Therefore, environment-related
47

knowledge of consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK positively affects their
environment-friendly attitudes, price level of green product in the supermarket industry in the
UK negatively affects consumers’ environment-friendly attitudes and education level of
attitudes. However, gender of consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK does not affect
their environment-friendly attitudes. The researcher has gained the first research objective.
Secondly, after this research conducts the linear regression analysis, H5 is accepted in this
research. In other words, consumers’ environment-friendly attitude in the supermarket
industry in the UK positively affects their green purchase behaviour. It is important for
supermarkets in the UK to pay much attention to this thing. The researcher has gained the
second research objective.
Finally, this research suggests recommendations for UK supermarkets to increase purchasing
frequency of their customers toward green/ organic products in the future. Through the
recommendations, UK supermarkets will know how to increase positive perceptions of their
customers about their green products and they will increase their customer base in the future.
The research gains the last research objective. The achievement of the specific research
objectives means that the general aim has been gained by this research.
5.3 Study contributions
This research’s study findings are valid for many individuals and organisations in the
supermarket industry in the UK. Firstly, this research helps supermarkets in the UK to know
48

factors impacting on their customers’ environment-friendly attitudes and the relationship
amongst their customers’ environment-friendly attitudes and their customers’ green purchase
behaviours. Then, UK supermarkets can increase positive perceptions of their customers about
their green products in the future and can increase their customer base in the future. Secondly,
there are a limited number of earlier researches about how environment-friendly attitudes of
consumers affect their buying behaviours in the supermarket industry in the UK. Hence, other
studies can use this research as a valid information source to have deep understandings about
elements influencing environment-friendly attitudes of consumers in the supermarket industry
in the UK and the effect of environment-friendly attitudes of consumers in the UK on their
green purchase behaviours in the supermarket industry in the UK. In other words, this research
can fill the literature gap about environment-friendly attitudes of consumers and their green
purchase behaviours in the supermarket industry in the UK. Finally, this research can help
investors who intend to open supermarkets in the UK to know the way to increase positive
perceptions of consumers in the UK about their green products.
5.4 Study limitations
For this study, it has the following main limitations:
Firstly, the researcher only analyses the effect of environment-friendly attitudes of consumers
on their purchase behaviour in the supermarket industry in the UK and does not analyse this
issue in other countries like the United States, Malaysia, India, China, etc. In the future study,
the other countries will be investigated to ensure the wide research scope and to ensure the
49

deep knowledge about the effect of environment-friendly attitudes of consumers on their
purchase behaviour in supermarkets in both developed nations and developing nations.
Secondly, this research has a research scope that focuses much on the supermarket industry in
the UK and then, the future study should expand the research scope into other industries in the
UK such as electronic industry, banking industry, hotel industry, restaurant industry,
automobile industry, etc. so that the future study can investigate the effect of environment-
friendly attitudes of consumers on their purchase behaviour in many different industries in the
UK.
Thirdly, 22.6 percent of the variance of consumers’ green purchase behaviour in the
supermarket industry in the UK is explained by the consumers’ environment-friendly attitude.
Other variables that this research does not investigate can explain 77.4 percent of the variance
of consumers’ green purchase behaviour in the supermarket industry in the UK. Hence, the
future study will investigate other factors affecting green purchase behaviour of consumers in
the supermarket industry in the UK like perceived environment responsibility and social norm.
Finally, the sampling size of this research is 150 consumers in the supermarket industry in the
UK and the rate of response of 96.7 percent (145 consumers in the supermarket industry in the
UK) is quite medium. However, the sampling size cannot indicate all ideas of all consumers in
the supermarket industry in the UK about elements influencing environment-friendly of
consumers in this industry and the effect of environment-friendly attitude of consumers on
their green purchase behaviour. The future study should collect data from more consumers in
50

the supermarket industry in the UK to increase the validity of the study findings of the future
study.
5.5 Recommendations
From the explored study results by this research, the researcher suggests main
recommendations for UK supermarkets to increase purchasing frequency of their customers
toward their green/ organic products in the future as follows:
Firstly, environment knowledge of consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK positively
affects their environment-friendly attitude. Hence, supermarkets in the UK should have many
effective campaigns of promotion to introduce the importance and benefits of their green/
organic products to their customers in the UK. The effective campaigns of promotion will
increase their customers’ positive perceptions about their green/ organic products. One of the
positive methods that supermarkets in the UK should use is social media sites because more
and more customers in the UK pay attention to social media sites to search information
regarding green/ organic products.
Secondly, price level of green product negatively affects consumers’ environment-friendly
attitude in the supermarket industry in the UK. Hence, supermarkets in the UK should offer
green/ organic products at the suitable price levels so that they can motivate their customers to
buy more green/ organic products and they can make their customers feel that their green/
organic products are valid and healthy products. The suitable price levels of the green/ organic
51

products are the key reason that customers in the supermarket industry in the UK choose to
buy the green/ organic products.
Thirdly, education level of consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK positively affects
their environment-friendly attitude. Hence, consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK
with the high education levels have high perceptions about the environment protection and
then, the consumers will have more positive attitudes toward purchase of green/ organic goods
to increase the environment sustainability. On the other hand, consumers in the supermarket
industry in the UK with the low education levels have low awareness about the environment
sustainability and then, the consumers do not pay much attention to protect the environment
sustainability and do not purchase the green/ organic goods. Supermarkets in the UK should
have many effective marketing strategies to introduce their green/ organic products to their
customers with low education levels to increase good awareness of the customers about their
green/ organic goods.
Finally, environment-friendly attitudes of consumers in the supermarket industry in the UK
positively affect their green purchase behaviours. Hence, supermarkets in the UK should have a
great emphasis on offering low-price green goods and have effective marketing strategies to
indicate benefits of their green goods in the environment protection and in the health
protection of consumers in the UK. When consumers in the UK have environment-friendly
attitudes, the consumers will concentrate on purchasing more green/ organic goods.
52

5.6 Conclusion
This chapter has indicated all things that have been explored by this research and has indicated
contributions of this research. This chapter has also indicated limitations of this research. In
addition, this chapter has indicated recommendations for UK supermarkets to increase
purchasing frequency of their customers toward green/ organic products in the future. Through
the recommendations, UK supermarkets will increase positive perceptions of their customers
about their green products in the future and will increase their customer base in the future.
53

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QUESTIONNAIRE
Dear Sir/Madam,
I conduct a dissertation about the effect of environment-friendly attitude of consumers on their
green purchase behaviours in the supermarket industry in the UK. I am a customer of a
supermarket industry in the UK and then, your answers are extremely valid for me to complete
this dissertation.
Part A: Personal information of customers
60

Part B: Factors influencing consumers’ environment-friendly attitude in the supermarket
industry in the UK and the effect of consumers’ environment-friendly attitude on their green
purchase behaviours in the supermarket industry in the UK
Please assess the following statements by circling the suitable answer:
No Information 1 2 3 4 5
Consumers’ environment-related knowledge
5 You deeply understand
the environmental
problems
6 You deeply perceive the
relationships amongst
the environment and its
main eco-systems.
7 You worry about the
environmental problems
61

8 In general, you
understand that you
must have the high
responsibility for the
environmental
sustainability
Price level of green product
9 You are not sensitive to
the price levels of
environment-friendly
products
10 You have the high
willingness to pay high
price levels for
products
11 You will purchase all
products regardless of
their price levels
12 In general, you do not
consider price levels of
products when you buy
the products
Gender of consumer
62

13 Females pay more
attention to the
protection of the
environment compared
with males
14 Females are more
sensitive to price levels
of environment-friendly
products compared
with males
15 Females are more willing
to buy environment-
friendly products
compared with males
16 In short, your gender has
impact on your
attitude
Education level of consumer
17 Individuals with higher
educational levels will
pay more attention to
the protection of the
environment
educational levels are
less sensitive to the
price levels of
63

products compared with
individuals with lower
educational levels
education levels are
more willing to buy
environment- friendly
products compared with
individuals with lower
educational levels
20 In short, your
educational level has an
impact on your
attitude
Consumers’ environment-friendly attitude
21 You like to buy
products
22 You feel that
products are very
beneficial
23 You intend to purchase
products because they
completely satisfy your
needs
64

24 In short, you have
positive attitude
towards to environment-
friendly products
Consumer’s green purchase behaviour
25 When you have a need
for a product, you
purchase environment-
friendly product instead
of conventional product
26 You like to buy types of
products that satisfy
your expectations
27 You introduce
products to your friends
and relatives
28 In short, you have
positive purchase
behavior on
products
65

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