GREEN MARKETING AND CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR: A STUDY ON SUSTAINABILITY-DRIVEN BRAND PREFERENCES

Abstract

Green marketing has emerged as one of the most significant strategic shifts in contemporary business practice, driven by escalating environmental consciousness and evolving consumer expectations. This paper investigates the relationship between green marketing practices and consumer buying behaviour, with a specific focus on sustainability-driven brand preferences. Drawing on secondary data from multiple global consumer surveys (2023–2025), this study analyses the influence of eco-labeling, sustainable packaging, green advertising, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and eco-branding on purchase intention and brand loyalty. Results confirm a strong positive correlation between green marketing communication and consumer purchase behaviour, with younger demographics—particularly Gen Z and Millennials—demonstrating disproportionately higher sustainability-driven brand preferences. The paper further identifies greenwashing distrust, price premiums, and unclear eco-labeling as primary barriers to green purchasing. Theoretical grounding is provided through the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and the Green Purchase Intention Model. Findings carry significant implications for marketers, brand managers, and policy architects in India and globally.