Malaysia is currently moving towards the impetus of sustainable development goals,
which specifically means to provide a guarantee for future generation well-being
through preserving the environment. Understanding consumer behavior can be the
fundamental stage in reducing consumption's environmental and social implications
through improving product design. This study aims to determine the relationship
between the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) components and the purchasing
behavioral intention for environmentally sustainable products. Added value of the study
involves three (3) moderating variables: age, gender, and level of education to examine
the influence between Theory of Planned Behavior components and the purchasing
intention of environmentally sustainable products. There are various studies which
emphasize on recognizing factors associates with purchasing intention for green
products. However, there is lacking literature that associates the demographic variables
as moderators in influencing the TPB’s components with the purchasing intentions. This
study employed a quantitative method of analysis involving Pearson Correlation,
PROCESS analysis and Multiple Regression analysis by using Statistical Package for
the Social Sciences (SPSS) software which involved 390 respondents living in the
District of Petaling. The study showed that all the components of TPB, which are
attitude (P=0.000), subjective norm (P=0.000) and perceived behavioral control
(P=0.000), appeared to have a significant relationship with the purchasing behavioral
intention for environmentally sustainable products. For moderating effect, the study
found that age did not influence the relationship between all components of TPB and
purchasing behavioral intention for environmentally sustainable products (P>0.05).
However, gender signified mixed results were gender influences attitude (P=0.0033)
and subjective norm (P=0.0425) but not for perceived behavioral control (0.3070)
component. Results for the third moderating variable, level of education, exhibited
influence toward all the components of TPB and purchasing behavioral intention for
environmentally sustainable products (P<0.05). Lastly, multiple regression analysis
showed that among the three (3) components of TPB, attitude (ββ = 0.495) was
recorded as the main factor associated with the purchasing behavioral intention for
environmentally sustainable products. This study also provided some insights for
policymakers, businesses and marketers on how to increase public intention to purchase
environmentally sustainable products.
