Influencing Factors of Chinese Consumers’ Purchase Intention to Sustainable Apparel Products: Exploring Consumer “Attitude–Behavioral Intention” Gap

Hye Jung Jung, Yun Jung Choi and Kyung Wha Oh
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Hye Jung Jung: Da Vinci College of General Education, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974, Korea
Yun Jung Choi: Fashion and Clothing, Mokpo National University, Jeonnam 58554, Korea
Kyung Wha Oh: Department of Fashion, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974, Korea

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 5, 1-14

Abstract: As the rapid economic growth and over-consumption within the largest population worldwide has resulted in harmful environment deterioration, a shift to more sustainable consumption behaviors is required in China. Although public interests in sustainability have increased and consumers’ attitudes are positive, their behavioral intentions are not consistent with attitudes. This study aims to uncover psychological drivers and barriers (consumption values, social norms, and attitudes to sustainable apparel products) of Chinese consumers’ behavioral intentions toward sustainable apparel products (SAP) by exploring the attitude–behavioral intention gap. Online survey data were used to examine the moderating impacts of consumption values and social norms on relationship between Chinese consumers’ attitudes and behavioral intentions toward SAP. Results from moderating regression analysis suggest that (1) Chinese consumers’ SAP attitudes had a strong positive effect on the purchase intention toward SAP, (2) aesthetic values positively moderated the relationship between the SAP attitude and purchase intention, whereas conspicuous values negatively moderated the relationship, and (3) utility values and social norms did not show any significant moderating influences on the relationship between the SAP attitude and purchase intention. Our study validates the attitude–behavior gap model in sustainable consumer behavior and discusses how the current findings can assist researchers and practitioners in the Clothing and Textiles field alike to fine-tune sustainable programs and marketing strategies in China.

Keywords: sustainable apparel products; attitude–behavior gap; consumption values; social norms; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (31)

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