Purchase Motives and Factors Shaping Consumer Behaviour on the Ecological Product Market (Poland Case Study)

Krystyna Mazurek-Łopacińska (), Magdalena Sobocińska and Joanna Krupowicz
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Krystyna Mazurek-Łopacińska: Department of Marketing Research, Faculty of Management, Wroclaw University of Economics and Business, Komandorska 118/120, 53-345 Wroclaw, Poland
Magdalena Sobocińska: Department of Marketing Research, Faculty of Management, Wroclaw University of Economics and Business, Komandorska 118/120, 53-345 Wroclaw, Poland
Joanna Krupowicz: Department of Economic Forecasting and Analyses, Faculty of Economics and Finance, Wroclaw University of Economics and Business, Komandorska 118/120, 53-345 Wroclaw, Poland

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 22, 1-29

Abstract: The growing demand for ecological products is in line with the trend towards the ecologisation of consumption, which has become key in times of striving to achieve sustainable development that aims to satisfy consumer needs while respecting the natural environment and future generations. The shaping of pro-ecological attitudes and behaviours in consumers requires continuous monitoring of such behaviours on the market of ecological products and investigation of the factors that influence consumers’ decisions and market choices. The aim of the article is to present the motives behind the purchase of ecological products, and the factors that shape the purchasing decisions of these products by Polish consumers. The article is based on an in-depth study of the literature and the results of proprietary empirical quantitative research conducted on a national sample of 1032 respondents, of whom 509 had purchased an ecological product within the last 3 months, and 523 had not made such a purchase in this period. Analysis of the results revealed the motives for purchasing ecological products, divided into egotistical motives and altruistic motives. The variation in these motives was also indicated depending on the socio-demographic characteristics of the consumers studied. It was shown that there is a dependency between consumers’ self-assessment of their level of knowledge on the functioning of the natural environment and the effect of humankind on it, and the purchase of ecological products. Analysis was also conducted of the factors perceived by consumers as restricting the purchase of ecological products, as well as the likelihood of a growth in the demand for and consumption of such products. There was shown to be a dependency between the reasons perceived by respondents for restricting the purchase of ecological products or the decision not to make such purchases, and consumer attitudes towards ecology.

Keywords: consumer market behaviour; ecological products; purchasing motives; factors restricting purchases; chances of an increase in sales; ecological awareness; consumer attitudes towards ecology; sustainable lifestyle (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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