Understanding Green Purchase Intention through Theory of Planned Behavior and Norm Activation Theory

Abstract

The rapid growth of global consumption has intensified environmental challenges, with individual activities contributing substantially to greenhouse gas emissions and ecological degradation. This condition underscores the importance of examining the psychological and social factors that influence green purchase intentions, particularly in developing countries such as Indonesia, where awareness and practices of sustainable consumption are still in development. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the Norm Activation Theory (NAT) have been widely employed to investigate pro-environmental actions. However, only a few attempts have been made to integrate both theoretical frameworks, despite their potential complementarity in providing a more holistic understanding of consumer decision-making processes. Survey data were collected from 200 respondents. The research model was tested using Structural Equation Modeling with Partial Least Squares (PLS-SEM). The results reveal that awareness of consequences (AOC), subjective norms (SN), and perceived behavioural control (PBC) significantly influence green purchase intention, while attitudes exert no significant effect on personal norms. Furthermore, personal norms emerge as a central mechanism that strongly drives the actual purchase of environmentally friendly products, thereby bridging the intention-behavior gap. The integration of these two theories provides a stronger explanatory model compared to using either theory alone. Theoretically, this study extends the literature on green purchase intention by combining two theories into a single integrative framework. Practically, the findings provide actionable insights for businesses, marketers, and policymakers to design campaigns, strategies, and policy initiatives that can encourage sustainable consumption, enhance environmental responsibility, and foster long-term ecological balance in the Special Region of Yogyakarta.