Introduction

Sustainable consumption has become increasingly important in recent years, as consumers are more aware of the environmental effects of their buying choices. The fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector is experiencing a shift towards eco-friendly options, motivated by concerns about plastic waste, carbon emissions and ethical sourcing practices (Joshi & Rahman, 2017). Studies suggest that consumer preference for sustainable products is influenced by environmental awareness, product availability and trust in green claims. This study aims to investigate consumer perceptions of eco-friendly FMCG products in Navi Mumbai, a rapidly growing urban area where awareness of sustainability is on the rise. Even though eco-friendly products are becoming more available, their market presence is still limited due to factors like high prices, lack of awareness and issues with brand trust. Research suggests that the gap between pro-environmental attitudes and actual purchase behaviour, commonly known as the ‘attitude-behaviour gap’, is a significant barrier to sustainable consumption (Joshi & Rahman, 2017).

It is essential to understand consumer behaviour, motivations and obstacles to help businesses and policymakers encourage sustainable consumption (Dangelico & Vocalelli, 2017). This research uses a data-driven approach to evaluate how environmental awareness, price sensitivity, brand trust and regulatory support influence consumer choices. By examining these elements, the study aims to offer valuable insights into strategies for enhancing the adoption of eco-friendly FMCG products in Navi Mumbai, ultimately fostering a greener and more responsible marketplace.

Literature Review

Source: Compiled by the author from various secondary sources (2015–2020).

 

Research Gap

Existing research in India has predominantly focused on descriptive studies that measure awareness levels or purchase intentions, but few have employed well-structured theoretical frameworks to understand the deeper cognitive, emotional and behavioural aspects of consumer decision-making.

Specifically, models like the Engel–Kollat–Blackwell (EKB) Model and Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), which have proven effective in global studies, are underutilised in Indian research settings—especially in relation to eco-friendly FMCG product consumption. These models offer valuable insights into the stages of consumer decision-making, including need recognition, information search, evaluation of alternatives and post-purchase behaviour, but they have not been systematically tested or adapted to the cultural and market dynamics of urban Indian consumers.

In particular, the behavioural processes that lead to the adoption or rejection of eco-friendly FMCG products remain underexplored. There is a need to move beyond surface level analysis and employ a model-based empirical approach that can account for the psychological, social and normative influences on consumer choice. By integrating theoretical models such as EKB into the current study, this research aims to fill the existing theoretical void and provide a structured understanding of eco-conscious consumer behaviour in the Indian context, with specific reference to Navi Mumbai.

Need of the Study

There is a growing emphasis on environmental sustainability, yet consumer adoption of eco-friendly FMCG products in India remains inconsistent, with a noticeable gap between awareness and actual purchase behaviour. Navi Mumbai, as an emerging urban hub with diverse demographics, lacks region-specific research on this subject. Moreover, most existing studies are descriptive in nature and do not apply established consumer behaviour models to understand the underlying decision-making processes. Therefore, this study is essential to explore consumer perceptions using a structured theoretical framework, particularly the EKB model, to provide actionable insights for marketers, policymakers and sustainability advocates aiming to promote green consumption in the Indian FMCG sector.

Objectives of the Study

1. To analyse how environmental awareness affects consumer purchasing choices for eco-friendly FMCG products in Navi Mumbai.
2. To explore how price sensitivity impacts the adoption of eco-friendly FMCG products.
3. To assess the importance of brand trust in determining consumer preference for sustainable FMCG products.
4. To pinpoint the main barriers and motivators that influence consumer behaviour towards green FMCG products.

Research Methodology

A quantitative research approach is used to systematically analyse how consumers in Navi Mumbai perceive eco-friendly FMCG products.

Primary data are gathered through structured questionnaires aimed at capturing responses regarding awareness, willingness to pay and the main motivators that influence purchases of eco-friendly FMCG products.

The study surveys 400 respondents from various demographic backgrounds in Navi Mumbai, utilising a stratified random sampling method to ensure representation across different consumer segments.

Key factors examined in the research include environmental awareness, price sensitivity, brand trust and the impact of regulations on consumer buying behaviour.

For data analysis, several statistical tools are applied, including regression analysis to evaluate the relationship between consumer awareness and purchasing decisions, chi-square tests to explore associations between categorical variables such as brand trust and purchasing preferences, and factor analysis to uncover the underlying motivators and barriers that affect the adoption of eco-friendly products.

Conceptual Model

The conceptual model visually illustrates the connections between various elements that affect consumer perception and behaviour towards eco-friendly FMCG products. It is organised into three main categories: independent factors, mediating factors and dependent factors.

1. Independent factors (influencing factors)

These elements serve as external influences that shape consumer attitudes and perceptions regarding eco-friendly FMCG products:

1. Environmental awareness—The level of knowledge consumers have about environmental issues and sustainability practices.
2. Perceived green value—How much consumers believe that eco-friendly products offer both environmental and personal benefits.
3. Brand credibility and trust—The degree of trust consumers place in a brand’s claims about sustainability and ethical practices.
4. Product attributes—Characteristics of eco-friendly FMCG products, such as biodegradable packaging and natural ingredients.
5. Price sensitivity—The readiness of consumers to pay more for eco-friendly products.
6. Social influence—The effect of family, friends and societal norms on consumer preferences.

2. Mediating factors

These factors connect the independent variables to consumer behaviour, affecting how consumers perceive and respond to the aforementioned influences:

1. Perceived product quality—The perception of how effective and reliable eco-friendly products are compared to traditional alternatives.
2. Consumer attitude towards sustainability—The general mindset and attitude of consumers regarding sustainable consumption.

3. Dependent factors (outcome factors)

These factors represent the final consumer behaviours that are influenced by the previous factors:

1. Purchase intention—The likelihood that consumers will buy eco-friendly FMCG products.
2. Actual purchase behaviour—The degree to which consumers turn their intentions into actual purchases.
3. Willingness to recommend—The probability that consumers will suggest eco-friendly FMCG products to others.

Flow of influence independent factors (environmental awareness, price sensitivity and others).

Theoretical Framework

The EKB Model of consumer decision-making provides a structured approach to understanding how consumers process information and make purchasing decisions. When applied to eco-friendly FMCG products, it highlights the key factors influencing sustainable consumer behaviour.

1. Stage 1: Problem recognition (awareness of environmental issues)
   1. Trigger: Consumers recognise environmental issues such as climate change, plastic pollution and carbon footprints, leading them to consider eco-friendly alternatives.
   2. Influencing factors:
      1. Environmental awareness: Consumers realise how their consumption habits impact the environment.
      2. Perceived green value: Consumers increasingly value sustainability in their product choices.
      3. Brand credibility and trust: Consumers trust brands that promote eco-friendly initiatives.
2. Stage 2: Information search (evaluating eco-friendly products)

Consumers actively seek sustainable alternatives to conventional FMCG products.

1. Influencing factors:
   1. Social influence: Word-of-mouth, social media and peer recommendations impact consumer choices.
   2. Government regulations and certifications: Eco-labels such as Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Organic and Green Seal enhance consumer trust.
   3. Product attributes: Consumers evaluate product ingredients, recyclability and packaging sustainability (Joshi & Rahman, 2017).

3.Stage 3: Alternative evaluation (comparing price, quality and trust)

Consumers weigh different options before making a purchase decision.

1. Key considerations:
   1.  Perceived product quality: Are eco-friendly products as effective as traditional ones?
   2. Price sensitivity: Are sustainable products reasonably priced compared to conventional ones?
   3. Brand trust and credibility: Does the brand genuinely prioritise sustainability, or is it greenwashing?

4. Stage 4: Purchase decision (buying the product)

The consumer makes the final decision to purchase or reject the eco-friendly product.

1. Influencing factors:
   1. Purchase intention: A strong belief in the sustainability benefits lead to higher purchase likelihood (Paul et al., 2016).
   2. Availability and convenience: If eco-friendly FMCG products are difficult to find, consumers may default to conventional products.

5. Stage 5: Post-purchase behaviour (satisfaction and word-of-mouth recommendations)

After purchasing, consumers assess whether the product meets their expectations.

1. Possible outcomes:
   1. Positive experience → Brand loyalty and word-of-mouth: If the eco-friendly FMCG product performs well, consumers continue purchasing it and recommend it to others.
   2. Negative experience → Switching back to conventional products: If the product fails in quality or is too expensive, consumers may revert to non-eco-friendly alternatives.

Hypothesis

1. Environmental awareness and consumer purchasing decisions for eco-friendly FMCG products in Navi Mumbai.
   1. H₀ (Null hypothesis): Environmental awareness has no significant effect on consumer purchasing decisions for eco-friendly FMCG products in Navi Mumbai.
   2. H₁ (Alternative hypothesis): Environmental awareness has a significant effect on consumer purchasing decisions for eco-friendly FMCG products in Navi Mumbai.
   3. Analysis: Chi-square test result: χ2 = 19.87, p value = .0003 (Reject H₀, Accept H₁).
   4. Data insight: 67% of participants are aware of eco-friendly FMCG products, yet only 45% actually buy them. A notable number of aware consumers do not make purchases due to concerns about pricing, and doubts regarding sustainability claims.
2. The aim is to investigate how price sensitivity influences the adoption of eco-friendly FMCG products.
   1. H₀ (Null hypothesis): Price does not affect consumer purchasing decisions for eco-friendly FMCG products in Navi Mumbai.
   2. H₁ (Alternative hypothesis): Price is a significant factor influencing consumer purchasing decisions for eco-friendly FMCG products in Navi Mumbai.
   3. Analysis: Regression coefficient: β = −0.49, p value = .003 (Reject H₀, Accept H₁), 34% of consumers with high awareness still avoid purchasing due to price sensitivity.
   4. Data insights: 69% of respondents believe that eco-friendly FMCG products are costly, and 45% would consider switching to sustainable products only if they were priced competitively. The analysis was conducted at a significance level of p value .05.
3. To assess how brand trust influences consumer preferences for sustainable FMCG products.
   1. H₀ (Null hypothesis): Brand trust does not have a significant effect on the intention to purchase eco-friendly FMCG products in Navi Mumbai.
   2. H₁ (Alternative hypothesis): Brand trust has a significant effect on the intention to purchase eco-friendly FMCG products in Navi Mumbai.
   3. Analysis: Chi-square test result: χ2 = 20.45, p value = .002 (Reject H₀, Accept H₁), 62% of consumers consider brand credibility when making their purchase decisions.
   4. Data insights: Among the respondents, 58% prefer to buy eco-friendly products from established brands, while 43% expressed hesitation in trying new sustainable brands due to trust concerns.
4. To pinpoint the main barriers and motivators that affect consumer behaviour towards green FMCG products.
   1. H₀ (Null hypothesis): Government regulations and policies do not influence the adoption of eco-friendly FMCG products in Navi Mumbai.
   2. H₁ (Alternative hypothesis): Government regulations and policies significantly influence the adoption of eco-friendly FMCG products in Navi Mumbai.
   3. Analysis: 67% of respondents feel that stronger regulations would enhance their likelihood of purchasing green products.
   4. Chi-square value: 1.06, p value: .303 (Not significant, p > .05).
   5. Data insights: Government regulations do not have a statistically significant impact on purchase decisions. Although 67% of respondents feel that stronger regulations would help, the data does not show a strong enough correlation.
5. Perceived value of eco-friendly FMCG products and consumer purchase behaviour.
   1. H₀ (Null hypothesis): There is no significant correlation between the perceived value of eco-friendly FMCG products and consumer purchase behaviour.
   2. H₁ (Alternative hypothesis): There is a significant positive correlation between the perceived value of eco-friendly FMCG products and consumer purchase behaviour.
   3. Analysis: Correlation coefficient (r): 0.72 (strong positive correlation), p value: .001 (significant at p < .05 → Reject H₀ and Accept H₁).
   4. Data insights: The correlation coefficient, r = 0.72, indicates a strong positive relationship between perceived value and consumer purchase behaviour for eco-friendly FMCG products.

The p value (.001) is statistically significant, confirming that higher perceived value leads to increased purchase behaviour.

6. Demographic factors as a moderator in Navi Mumbai.
   1. H₀ (Null hypothesis): Demographic factors (age, income and education) do not significantly moderate the relationship between perceived value and consumer purchase behaviour of eco-friendly FMCG products.
   2. H₁ (Alternative hypothesis): Demographic factors significantly moderate the relationship between perceived value and consumer purchase behaviour of eco-friendly FMCG products.
   3. Analysis: To assess moderation, we conduct a multiple regression analysis with interaction effects between demographic factors (age, income and education) and perceived value in predicting consumer purchase behaviour.

Regression Results (Moderation Effects)

Note: R² = 0.61 (61%), meaning 61% of the variation in purchase behaviour is explained by the model.

 

Data Insights

Perceived value is a significant predictor (p = .002), confirming that consumers who see eco-friendly FMCG products as valuable are more likely to purchase them.

Income and education significantly moderate the relationship (p < .05), meaning higher-income and higher-educated consumers are more responsive to perceived value.

Age is not a significant moderator (p > .05), indicating that perceived value affects younger and older consumers similarly. Since the p value for interaction effects with income and education is < .05, we reject H₀ and accept H₁.

Conclusion and Recommendations

This study offers a detailed insight into customer attitudes toward eco-friendly FMCG items in Navi Mumbai. The study emphasises the rising knowledge of sustainable consumerism while also highlighting the ongoing gap between intention and actual purchase behaviour. The key findings show that while 67% of respondents are aware of eco-friendly FMCG items, only 45% make real purchases. This disparity is mostly driven by price sensitivity, limited availability and scepticism about brand promises.

The study reveals that environmental knowledge has a considerable influence on consumer purchases, yet price remains a big obstacle. According to statistical research, 69% of customers consider eco-friendly items to be expensive, and 45% would only switch if they were competitively priced. Brand trust is also important, with 62% of customers evaluating credibility when making purchasing decisions, favouring established businesses over new sustainable entries.

Interestingly, government restrictions were shown to have little direct influence on consumer purchasing decisions, despite 67% of respondents preferring tougher rules. Furthermore, the perceived value of environmentally friendly FMCG items has a substantial correlation with customer behaviour (r = 0.72, p = .001), indicating that a larger perceived benefit increases purchase probability.

Demographic characteristics also influence purchase behaviour, with wealth and education having a substantial impact, while age has little effect. To overcome the ‘attitude-behaviour gap’, organisations can prioritise price tactics, increase brand trust and improve product availability, according to these findings.

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship and/or publication of this article.

Funding

The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship and/or publication of this article.

ORCID iD

Shailu Singh  https://orcid.org/0009-0004-8044-2673