When Consumption Becomes Contribution: Tracing the Path to Sustainable Buying Commitment

Abstract

Despite the growing adoption of green marketing practices, sustainable buying behavior among consumers remains inconsistent. While prior research has largely emphasized environmental attitudes, trust, and price considerations, limited attention has been paid to whether consumers feel that their individual purchase decisions genuinely contribute to environmental sustainability. Addressing this gap, the present study examines perceived environmental contribution as a key psychological mechanism linking green marketing cues to sustainable buying commitment. Using a mediation framework, the study investigates how the credibility of eco-claims, tangible sustainability cues, and product price fairness influence sustainable buying commitment through perceived environmental contribution. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered to consumers with prior exposure to green products, and the proposed model was tested using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The findings reveal that both credible eco-claims and tangible sustainability cues have a significant positive effect on perceived environmental contribution, which in turn strongly drives sustainable buying commitment. However, product price fairness does not significantly influence consumers’ perceived environmental contribution, suggesting that sustainable commitment is shaped more by value-based and impact-driven motivations than by economic evaluations. These results highlight that consumers are more likely to sustain eco-friendly purchasing when they believe their actions meaningfully contribute to environmental protection. The findings provide important insights for marketers and policymakers seeking to design sustainability strategies that foster long-term consumer commitment rather than short-term green adoption.