Consumer behavior towards green cosmetic products in Sweden

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Consumer behavior towards green cosmetic products in

Sweden

Alkhayyat, Abdulmoaz Stita, Ayham

School of Business, Society & Engineering

Course: Bachelor Thesis in Business Administration Course code: FOA243

15 hp Supervisor: Michela Cozza

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Abstract

Date: 2021-05-27

Level: Bachelor Thesis in Business Administration, 15 hp

Institution: School of Business, Society and Engineering, Mälardalen University

Authors: Alkhayyat Abdulmoaz, Stita Ayham (97/01/01) (93/06/18)

Title: Consumer Behavior towards green cosmetic products

Tutor: Michela Cozza

Keywords: Green products, purchase intention, eco-awareness, green cosmetic products, consumer behavior

Research question: What are the factors influencing consumer purchasing choices when choosing green cosmetic products over synthetic cosmetic products?

Purpose: To study the consumer behavior towards green products by analyzing the attitudes of customers choosing to purchase organic cosmetics and to further investigate the factors that affect their purchasing behavior.

Method: This research followed a quantitative approach with a deductive reasoning, done by conducting a survey to collect primary data and interpret the results in order to reach a reasonable conclusion.

Conclusion: It was found that green cosmetic products are important in reaching the various needs of customers as consent remaining environmentally friendly and sustainable is concerned. There are possible factors that impact consumer behavior, such as the social influences and eco-awareness, causing a change in buying behavior and

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3.1.1 Eco-awareness ... 22 3.1.2 Social influence ... 23 3.1.3 Past experience ... 24 3.2 Hypotheses ... 25 4. Methodology ... 28 4.1 Research method ... 28 4.2 Data Collection ... 29 4.3 Sample ... 29 4.4 Primary data ... 30 4.5 Survey design ... 30 4.6 Research approach ... 32 4.7 Analytical Method ... 33

4.8 Reliability and Validity ... 34

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5.1 Findings from Eco awareness ... 37

5.2 Findings from past experience ... 38

5.3 Findings from social influence ... 39

5.4 Demographic findings ... 40

5.4.1 Gender ... 40

5.4.2 Age group... 40

5.4.3 Level of education ... 41

5.4.4 Employment status: ... 42

5.4.5 Average income per month: ... 43

6. Analysis ... 45

6.1 Correlations and statistical significance ... 45

6.1.1 Hypothesis 1 ... 45

6.1.2 Hypothesis 2 ... 46

6.1.3 Hypothesis 3 ... 47

6.2 Testing the Hypotheses ... 48

6.2.1 Crosstabs for Hypothesis 1 ... 48

6.3 Discussion ... 54 7. Conclusion ... 58 8. Limitations ... 60 9. Future research ... 61 10. References ... 63 11. Appendix ... 71 11.1 Demographics charts ... 71 11.2 Variables answers ... 72

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1. Introduction

The introduction includes a problem background to the chosen topic: Attitudes of consumers towards purchasing organic cosmetics. The problem formulation is supported by the problem background where various factors behind the intention to purchase are discussed. The statement of purpose, the research question, and the objectives of the study will be included at the end of the chapter.

Cosmetic has become an everyday usage for individual necessities in the recent era (Sahota, 2014). Companies are becoming aware of customers preferring to buy organic cosmetics rather than synthetic cosmetics, which may harm the skin. According to Chermahini et al., (2011), there are chemicals in the synthetic cosmetic that may cause harm to the skin, such as ethylene glycol, propylene, parabens, and bentonite. The accelerated rise in sales of organic cosmetics has undoubtedly drawn the attention of researchers. Although, most of the current studies on the organic personal care industry have contented with marketing strategies in contrast with consumer behavior. (Yeon et al., 2011). Consumers have the power to shape the market for cosmetic products since companies that sell cosmetic products always aim to meet the consumer's needs and wants to generate profit. Companies that sell cosmetic products have a high chance of consumers building loyalty towards their brand that meets consumers' needs to prefer organic cosmetics rather than synthetic products (AL-Haddad et al., 2020). The marketing of the cosmetic industry is increasing, which shows the value for society's economic vibrancy in the cosmetics industry. However, it is a tough market for newcomers since the level of competition is considerably high. The newly cosmetic brands entering the market are growing, thus causing an opposing force on popular

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brands that have been in the market for a long while. However, the popular brands have a well-established experience in the market.

Sweden is among the countries that emphasize environmental protection: in this regard, it is worth noting that Stockholm won the Green Capital Award for the year 2010 (European Green Capital, 2010). One of the reasons behind this high demand for organic cosmetics among Swedish consumers could be due to Sweden being one of the top-rated countries in the EU when it comes to consuming organic food, generating electricity from renewable sources, recycling waste, and developing green technologies (Rooijen et al., 2019). People’s knowledge regarding the environment presents an essential part in determining consumer behavior. When marketers acknowledge consumer behavior regarding green products, companies can outline the essential factors affecting this behavior. According to Akter and Islam (2020), Swedish consumers favor eco-friendly products over ordinary products.

The study of consumer behavior plays an essential part in the marketing of all services and goods. Green cosmetic purchasing behavior describes a mixed ethical decision-making method and is relevant to socially responsible behavior. Green cosmetic products meet the needs of consumers committed to being more sustainable and environmentally friendly (Shamdasami et al., 1993). Green cosmetic products are environmentally friendly and aim to have no harmful materials to the environment. The substances in the green cosmetic in production are usually safer for the environment (Chan & Chai, 2010).

Regarding consumers’ behavior, there may be possible factors such as social influences, availability of the product and price, which lead to a variation in consumers' attitudes and buying behavior (Yatish et al., 2015). Green cosmetics provide benefits for both the consumer and the environment. The higher the concern for companies to manufacture a great quality of green

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cosmetics, the less harmful the product could be to the skin and the environment. The word “green” in green cosmetics refers to sustainability or conserving natural resources, which are non-toxic and not harmful to the environment. The foundation for a natural makeup look is a good skin care regimen. Cosmetics is a daily need of the majority of students (Bhardwaj et al., 2019).

1.1 Problem formulation

Individuals have become more aware that global warming is causing a noticeable effect on the climate. According to Moisander (2007), the increase in human awareness of global warming has increased the environment's demands. This awareness created humans' preferences to shift towards purchasing green cosmetics, which has led to the emergence of environmentally friendly consumption called "green consumerism". The green cosmetics industry is growing internationally in the market, which led to the production of more organic cosmetics (Niziolek et al., 2016). Furthermore, the increased awareness of green and organic cosmetics has influenced consumers to move towards a green environment. Thus, increased consumer awareness of synthetic chemicals' dangers has inspired consumers to increase their demand towards organic cosmetics. Organic cosmetics and green cosmetics made of agricultural components developed without synthetic fertilizers, which are more preferred for consumers who care about the environment (Ghazali et al., 2017).

The natural ingredients used in organic products have given consumers the desired use of these organic products. Thus, consumers' attitudes towards organic cosmetics became more positive (Zhang & Zhou, 2019). Organic cosmetic products' development is considered to satisfy consumers' needs for ethical beliefs, health purposes and has improved the entire cosmetics

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industry (Matic and Puh, 2016; Sahota, 2014). According to consumers' healthy and sustainable lifestyles, cosmetics companies throughout the industry have actively developed organic ingredients to form a better condition for the market growth for organic cosmetics (Stávková et al., 2008)

Prices can vary in a formula remarkably depending on raw materials varieties. The industrialized segment of cosmetic products generally has a lower price tag in comparison to small producer sectors (Patton & Romanowski, 2018). A brand that improves its existing ingredients will set aside more money for research, equipment usage, and the operators who manage the research (Petersen, 2018). Moreover, the consulting company will invoice its time and resources, while the brand will conduct research and further develop the current ingredients (Petersen, 2018).

1.2 Problem background

In general, people who care about their appearance tend to choose cosmetics to improve their image (Kim & Chung, 2011). Eco-conscious consumers also look for chemical-free personal care products to maintain their youthful appearance and improve it (Kim & Chung, 2011) because organic cosmetics are made with minimal chemicals or with 100% natural products, which may provide better results compared to standard products.

Moreover, increased consumer awareness about the environmental dangers of synthetic chemicals is the motivation behind the rising demand for organic cosmetic products that are made with natural ingredients grown without using synthetic fertilizers, which makes these products more desirable (Ghazali et al., 2017).

These days many companies have become more engaged in protecting the environment and have incorporated green technology into the production process. Companies have also changed their marketing strategy to adopt environmentally friendly steps while marketing their products

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consumers, and it is now called “ecological” or “green” (Paco & Raposo, 2009), it is a highly regulated sector.

Indeed, marketers need to test their products to ensure they receive the green product manufacturers’ certificate. Thøgersen (2006) said that in Denmark, the company could not sell any product as green before the authority tests the product for green certification. From the green consumer segment, marketers can gain green consumer loyalty by differentiating their products or services from other companies as environmentally friendly products.

Advertising is also important, companies advertise their products to inform consumers interested in using green products about their advantages also from an environmental perspective (Rahman, 2013). In this way, consumers are driven to purchase organic products (Rahbar & Wahid, 2011). According to Manson (2018), there are three types of consumers in the organic cosmetic industry. The first category corresponds to those who buy organic cosmetics to avoid skin problems; the second type includes people buying natural products to protect the earth. Finally, there is one last type of consumer who buys organic cosmetics because it is part of their lifestyle (Burja & Burja, 2018). However, according to Mintel (2010), some obstacles may affect consumer confidence, like misleading marketing information. Consumers are baffled by various standards and over-marketing of green cosmetics, which may lead them to find it challenging to choose green cosmetics (Lin et al., 2018). Mason (2012) found that customers that buy cosmetic products buy the benefits, not the features.

1.3 Research Purpose and Research Question

The purpose of this thesis is to study the consumer behavior towards green products by analyzing the attitudes of customers choosing to purchase organic cosmetics and to further investigate the

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factors that affect their purchasing behavior. A quantitative approach was applied. Sweden was chosen to be the country to take the primary data from because of the high responsibility acts taken by Sweden government and people towards the environment. In addition, Swedish consumers’ attitudes towards the environment are considerably high as well (Orsato, 2006).

The research question is formulated as follows: ‘What are the factors influencing consumer

purchasing choices when choosing green cosmetic products over synthetic cosmetic

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2. Literature review

This section defines the commonly used terminologies that give a further explanation and understanding of this research and its purpose.

2.1 Green products

The term “green product” is usually defined as an environmentally friendly product or eco-product. Green products do not harm the Earth or natural resources because producing this type of product entails recycling or recycled content, reduced packaging, or less usage of toxic substances (Chen & Chai, 2010). According to Krause (1993), consumers are growing more attention to their everyday habits and their impact on the climate.

Companies that are providing green products adopt green marketing to reach their value proposition in the market. There are several advantages for companies manufacturing green products. First, water and energy are some of the considerable expenses for companies. If companies focus on improving their water conservation and energy efficiency innovation, this could reduce the company's energy and relevant costs. These innovations often impact the annual savings in long-term expense reductions (Lagas, 2015). Second, green products have grabbed the attention of new shoppers and boosts the company's sales. Sustainable and green practices can make the company more saleable in the market. Consumers are more alert of the environment, and making green products can improve the company's reputation. Whether the company is an original equipment manufacturer or a supplier, highlighting the company's actions to society will help the company grab attention to a whole new customer base, which will benefit in increasing the company's sales (Nastun, 2007).

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Moreover, this is also essential for companies’ productions that are seeking government contracts where green production standards are vital (European Commission, 2016). Social media have allowed buyers to advertise or criticize companies for their green practices or their lack of interest in the environment (Lagas, 2015). Last, green products can also increase innovation among research and development. For instance, if a company wants to increase the research and development activities to decrease material scraps or use recyclable materials throughout the production process, it often leads to additional operational developments (Lagas, 2015), which will give a new path for companies an opportunity to enter in a different market. Progressing green products allows the company to enter a new market that concerns green consumers. Green consumers are eager to pay extra when purchasing green products (Das, 2019).

2.2 History of green cosmetics

According to Bonini & Oppenheim (2008), the history of cosmetics can be dated back to Egypt, where the oils and soils that were scented were used for the cleaning and softening of the skin and get the bad odors away from the skin. According to Chaudhri and Jain (2014), women in Egypt used lead and copper ores to color their skins to the desired tastes and preferences. Another substance that was made for the purpose of beauty was kohl, which was made from burnt almonds, oxidized copper, copper ores, lead, ash and ochre was used to define the eyes in the iconic almond shape seen in masks and sculptures (Bonini & Oppenheim, 2008).

The history can be traced to the Roman countries, where the butter and barley flour was used for cosmetic purposes. Chaudhri and Jain (2014) describe that flour and butter were used to treat the pimples in the skin, making the skin look impressive and beautifully looking. They also practiced

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the art of decorating their fingers using blood from different animals, which was explicitly stored and used after going through a series of processes. The hairs were also dyed using mud baths, making them look beautiful and easier to comb. Ancient women in the Greek kingdom painted their faces using white lead and crushed mulberries as rouge and fixed their eyebrows using oxen hair and glue to fix them. The fake eyebrows were made from the hairs extracted from the oxen and trimmed well to look like real eyebrows. The use of make-up cosmetology in China was characterized by nail coloring using gelatin, bee wax, eggs, and Arabic gum materials. Social class in the living standards of people in China is measured by ownership of precious ores such as gold and silver (Chaudhri and Jain, 2014).

The desire to have pale, beautiful, and soft skins can still be traced back to historical times, as it is still a major practice in the present day. In relation to Sweha's (1982) historical narration, the painting of skin was mostly practiced in ancient times by the queen of England, Queen Elizabeth, who mostly used local products to beautify her skin and look younger and more attractive. The women in the ancient days used egg pigment to color their skins and make them softer. According to Sweha (1982), in the late 1990s, women shifted from egg mixtures and adopted the use of zinc oxide. People also used to color their lips using pigments from various traditional sources such as bee wax and animal products. This was, however, not well effective because it lasted for very short periods of time. Lipsticks continued to evolve with time, and the first effective lipstick product that was successfully made and produced good results was manufactured by Parisian perfumers (Sweha, 1982). Since then, many innovations have been developed to make the product better from time to time. Research has still been carried out to make sure that the components used in makeup do not cause an effect on the human body (Sweha, 1982).

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According to Chaudhri and Jain, (2014), the use of sun care products to protect the skin from harm is also dated in the early days. The aim of sun care products is to prevent the skin from turning pale from the direct sunlight effects. Since the 1980s, sun-care products have been developed and advanced each time as research gets better. The use of hair dying and styling effects can also be said to be an early evolution where the people used soaps and simple liquid shampoos to take care of their hair. The development of rinsible shampoos has grown in recent times, and people have a good way to take care of their hair in the best way possible (Chaudhri and Jain, 2014).

The emergence of cosmetic products has grown significantly with time, and cosmetics have evolved from the use of traditional methods to modern ones that are acceptable by the general world (Chaudhri and Jain, 2014).

2.3 Green cosmetics

Green cosmetics can generally be referred to as the manufacturing of cosmetic products using natural, non-toxic products such as aloe Vera, avocados and other naturally occurring elements (Sahota, 2014). The elements used are bio-friendly because they are extracted from living organisms such as plants and animals. Some of the commodities used in the processing of green cosmetics include agricultural plants, bacteria, and natural oils. The cosmetic is considered "green" also because it is packaging, both primary and secondary, is recyclable and made from recycled materials. The use of elements such as glass, aluminum, and bamboo packaging help to reduce the use of plastic and plasticized paper, which are currently the dominant materials.

The rise in the use of green cosmetic products has been brought up by the need to curb the harmful effects of artificially made cosmetics technology. Most of the elements that were used in

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manufacturing the artificial products were from harmful sources, which caused great problems in the lives of people. The use of artificially made cosmetic products led to the emergence of dangerous body ailments such as cancer and burning sensations in the body. Some of the artificial products did not bring the desired effects as many people would expect, and thus there is a need to come up with more effective products has emerged (Chaudhri and Jain, 2014).

Green cosmetics are not only aimed to bring good results to the body, but they are as well made to be economical and also environmentally friendly. Cosmetics manufacturers are now embracing the need to go natural on their products, since consumers are mostly centered on buying green products which guarantee safety in using them. In relation to Sahota's (2014) view, in the case of failure of a manufacturer to embrace the new green production measures, a company may find itself on the verge of collapsing because people have shifted to the new ways of life in an attempt to achieve good product results and environmental preservation (Chaudhri and Jain, 2014). An ecological cosmetic is marked by a specific symbol with the word “cruelty free”, which suggests that the product was not assessed on living creatures. This icon, however, is sometimes not present because it is not required to include it (Chaudhri and Jain, 2014).

2.4 Green consumers

Green consumers can be referred to as a person who is aware of his or her responsibility in environment conservation measures and thus spends time to selectively purchase products that are environmentally friendly. In regard to an article written by Bonini and Oppenheim (2008), the shift from normal artificial products to green ecological and environmentally friendly products has significantly grown among individuals and organizations at large. Consumers have opted to go

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green to the adverse climatic conditions that are evidenced, such as harsh weather conditions, rise in sea levels, and long droughts. These events have been closely associated with the use of artificial manufacturing, processing, and usage of commodities. An increasing number of people, therefore, believe that using green commodities will help to reduce such adverse climatic conditions, making the world a better place to live. Green consumers usually make decisions to buy a product based on the information provided in the product package about the items used to manufacture that product (Bonini and Oppenheim, 2008).

2.4.1 Types of green consumers

Green consumers can be generally classified according to various attributes and behaviors they portray while purchasing different products. According to Paco et al. (2019), green consumers can be classified into three groups; behavioral greens, think greens, potential greens.

Behavioral green consumers are consumers who think and always act green. The consumers portray the kind of behavior that minimizes the level of environmental degradation at all costs. These consumers believe that it is worth buying expensive products that meet all the requirements of environmental conservation, rather than buying cheap environmentally unfriendly products. Think-green consumers: these consumers are always concerned about the environmental conservation measures because they are aware of the importance of maintaining environmentally friendly procedures. However, the think-green consumers are always reluctant to act on the measure. Consumers tend to think that applying environmentally friendly procedures to the latter would lead to uneconomical spending of resources. They, therefore, find themselves not too keen

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Potential green consumers: This is the group of consumers who do not think or act as they care about the environmental conservation measures. These consumers always act to the procedures that conserve the environment by purchasing green products. They do this silently without letting anybody notice their good concerns on the art of conserving the environment.

2.5 Green marketing

Green marketing can be referred to as the campaign that is aimed at marketing green commodities based on their aim of conserving the environment. According to Groening et al. (2018), green marketing products may either be produced using environmentally friendly raw materials or the product be packaged in a way that promotes the conservation of the environment on disposal of such packaging. Green products are mainly manufactured using materials that do not possess any toxic elements, and the products do not need too much packaging. Most of the packaging materials used are mostly renewable, thus causing no harm to the environment surrounding (Bonini & Oppenheim, 2008).

Firms that are committed to supporting the development and corporate social responsibility are more likely to engage in green marketing. Bigger companies attempt to implement sustainable business practices. They recognize that they can make their products more appealing to consumers while also saving money on packaging, transportation, energy and water usage, and other costs. To carry on green marketing, a company is required to implement and practice various measures which include selecting the items to use in production, the design of the actual products, and also the kind of packaging method to be applied. Green marketing is a growing field in the world that

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needs to be fully focused upon to achieve the common goal of maintaining a toxic-free environment in the world (Bonini & Oppenheim, 2008).

2.6 Marketing mix of green products

According to Bonini & Oppenheim (2008), the marketing mix of green products usually takes seven essential aspects, which are referred to as the “seven Ps”. They include green products, green prices, green promotion, green places, green people, green process management, and the green physical process.

The green product mainly aims at coming to the market with a product that fulfills all the processing and manufacturing to cater for environmental conservation. The green price is a strategy to come up with the best pricing system to accommodate all levels of green consumers and attract true brown consumers to also buy the product. The green promotion is a strategy to offer a variety of services to consumers that make them be more interested in the product and give them relevant dependent information on the product. The place where the product is offered should also be placed strategically in the market where every consumer can be able to access such a product at ease without many struggles (Bonini & Oppenheim, 2008). The process management should be easy to manage so as to produce more products in the market, and also the physical process of disposing off the end product remains should not be complex.

For the marketing of the green product to be successful, all these seven factors need to be considered, and marketing should be done in a way that the factors are all addressed (Bonini & Oppenheim, 2008).

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2.7 Green marketing strategies

For many years consumers desire to protect the environment and be greener. In the current market situation, the demand for green products and services is increasing. Nowadays, environmental credentials can be a strong communicator of a brand and a unique selling point (Mortimer, 2020). Green marketing strategies are one of the key aspects to a company's success. Companies are planning or already going green at work. Green marketing refers to environmentally friendly products and services, while different companies offer different meanings for green marketing, such as Eco marketing or environmental marketing. It relates to the marketing of products and companies that support the environment in some significant way (Arseculeratne & Yazdanifard, 2014).

Moreover, some explanations look into the safety of the environment or products that are sustainable. Also, other companies' strategies attempt to reduce their carbon footprint. Several strategies affect green marketing strategies (Eneizan et al., 2016). First, pricing the right price for green products is essential in the average customers' decision-making process. While many green purchasers are willing to spend more money for their ethical beliefs, which are environmentally friendly, customers still want great value for their purchased products (Laroche et al., 2001). Second, collaborations with companies that support green products in green marketing to establish trustworthiness. Customers will want proof that the products or services are environmentally friendly. Engaging third parties' support is essential, popular, and incredible forms of third-party support, including key labels. Having eco-labels on the green products, such as the USDA-certified organic logo and the logo for chasing arrow recycling, can positively impact the customers' purchase. Producing and selling certified green products by a third party is one of the most straightforward strategies to establish credibility (Shabbir et al., 2020). Consumers hesitate to buy

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organic cosmetics because of consumers' lack of knowledge about organic cosmetics. Consumers are likely to purchase cosmetic products with labels and certifications representing support for the environment (Horne, 2009).

According to research made by Zhang & Zhou (2019), the influence from experts like doctors to switch some individuals' lifestyles to use organic cosmetics confirms that lifestyle shifts can be unintentional.

Last, an important strategy that contributes to effective green marketing strategies is increasing transparency. Consumers need the information to evaluate their claims and reputation. The business should raise the consciousness of the history of its products, including manufacture and origin. In addition, fully transparent companies would be most likely to completely avoid greenwashing, which would result in an increase in consumer's trust and loyalty (Szabo & Webster, 2020).

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3. Theoretical framework

This part includes the theoretical model used for the purpose of this paper, in addition to full explanation about each factor related to the theory.

3.1 Theory of planned behavior

Theory of planned behavior is mostly concerned about how the beliefs that people have affect the way in which they behave concerning certain matters and issues. The theory is intertwined with the theory of reasoned action. Individuals make logical, reasoned, and well-informed judgments to engage in specific actions by analyzing the information accessible to them (Taufique and Vaithianathan, 2018). The intention of an individual to engage in a behavior determines the action's performance. In relation to this theory, if an individual perceives that buying a certain product gives them certain benefits and privileges, they tend to spend most of their time and resources on such products in order to gain such advantages. In relation to the theory, people buy a product by perceiving their attitudes towards that certain product, the perceived social pressure that comes in buying the product and also the perceived behavioral control (Taufique & Vaithianathan, 2018). In developing the green production and marketing procedures, the product should entirely be focused on meeting all the parameters that would positively influence the people’s beliefs and attitudes. This way would make more people interested in purchasing the green environmentally friendly products in large volumes while appreciating the goodness that comes with such products. If all product manufacturers take good relevant studies on this theory, they would have knowledge of what the product should be composed of and what is not necessary to include in processing the product (Taufique & Vaithianathan, 2018). In the following sections three variables are introduced

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to be studied in relation to the theory of planned behavior, that could have a major impact on consumers’ behavior towards green cosmetic products.

3.1.1 Eco-awareness

The widely known term "eco-awareness" acknowledges the fragility of the environment and the value of its protection. Furthermore, its relevant issues and knowledge about the problems that cause harm to the environment. For instance, skills on how to deal with such an issue and motives for solving environmental issues (McBride et al., 2013).

Most consumers are eager to know more while purchasing an eco-friendly product (Akter & Islam, 2020). Their knowledge of environmental problems and the issues involved are used to develop their own opinion or attitude to choose according to their intentions in purchasing decisions (Cheah & Phau, 2011).

Considering that companies are socio-economic entities, companies cannot expect to remain unresponsive to the "eco-awareness" that may influence consumer's behaviors (Boztepe, 2016). Research conducted by Arı and Yılmaz (2017) shows that eco-awareness positively connects with people's behavioral intention and motivation and engages in behaviors concerning pro-environmental. Marketing managers, in particular, may come into contact with consumers that are concerned and aware of the environment. The old idea of how companies are facilities with no other strategies but to gain profit leaves the company's place to a new perception representing companies as establishments that are aware of the environment. Moreover, in producing

environmentally friendly products and choosing environmentally friendly markets,

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Taking environmental protection measures is one of the corporate social responsibility-related activities that is becoming increasingly important as eco-awareness grows about, for instance, global climate warming and natural disasters. Particularly in the cosmetics industry, which benefits from organic substances, each company continues with its unique environmental strategies to protect the environment (Nagasawa & Kizu, 2012).

3.1.2 Social influence

Consumer behavior experienced a notable shift in modern decades because health and environmental awareness reached an important role. Family and friends have a considerable influence on young consumers' purchase decisions (Rehman et al., 2017). Marketing plans should target young consumers since companies have realized that younger generations are more crucial in their actions and have further environmental protection awareness. The younger generation has also shown a great capability of influencing friends and families purchasing decisions (Joshi & Rahman, 2016). Furthermore, the younger generation possesses their skills concerning eco-awareness from the current media that widen their knowledge about green products, influencing their purchase power and transferring the knowledge to their friends and family, influencing their purchase decision.

Moreover, the young generation has a promising potential due to the early development of eco-friendly practices and eco-eco-friendly knowledge (Witek & Kuźniar, 2020).

The trend of applying cosmetics increased momentum globally. Nevertheless, a shortage of individual awareness correlated with cosmetics usage generates a considerable risk on healthcare, particularly in developing nations (Bilal et al., 2016).

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The Cosmetic Toiletry and Perfumery Association (CTPA) reviewed in 2018 that consumer attitudes towards product qualities, including packaging, functions, fragrance materials, components, and price, may impact consumers' purchase behavior (Lin et al., 2018). Green purchase attitudes imply that consumers can estimate the performance of green purchase behavior either negatively or positively. According to Chan and Deng (2016), price sensitivity and environmental awareness significantly indicate the green purchase attitudes level. Consumers' whole decision-making process can be affected by knowledge.

3.1.3 Past experience

Consumers' knowledge forces companies to adjust their products and drive towards environmentally friendly products (Schuhwerk & Hagius-Lefkoff, 1995). Individuals grew awareness of environmental problems and developed their green or environment-friendly marketing practices, centering on consumers' environment (Paco & Raposo, 2009).

The rising awareness of consumers' environment and desire for environmentally friendly products has opposed companies to shift to green products' marketing and production (Jain & Kaur, 2004). Various circumstances affect a consumer's purchasing intention, and experience is one of those factors. (Teng et al., 2011).

Knowledge is the fundamental factor that leads to behavior and attitudes (Mainieri et al., 1997). Consumer's choice to buy green products hangs on their preference concerning green products. Consumers' experience and past experience on green products encourage consumers to purchase green products in the future (Young et al., 2010).

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Chan (2001) defined psychology and culture as two principal constituents that impact consumers' actions and buying process.

Children nowadays can gain further knowledge and information regarding the environment within education. Children who grow up with an education on the environment would show a higher percentage in environment-friendly products. Environmental problems and education positively correlate (Straughan & Roberts, 1999).

Training and environmental education would be more useful if children have linked to personal norms until their adulthood. Norms appropriated by individuals are related to social norms. Social influencers can inspire individuals to adopt environment-friendly products and end the consumption of harmful environmental products (Minton & Rose, 1997, p.45).

3.2 Hypotheses

Customers are presently more cognizant of the environment and environmentally friendly products. Environment cognizant buyers need to think about the item before purchasing, particularly what are the items that are used to produce the product if it is environment friendly items or not.

The positive relationship between consumers’ attitudes and behavioral intentions to buy green or environmentally friendly products has been discussed in numerous studies and different cultures (Kim & Chung 2011; Tarkiainen & Sundqvist, 2005). The decision to purchase green products is one of the positive signals of an environmentally friendly behavior scale (Martin & Bateman, 2014; Liobiki et al., 2017). A person who is eco-mindful with a positive involvement in environmental items has a high propensity to show solid goals to buy a green item because of its green credits

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(Norazah, 2016). For example on the off chance that an individual knows the danger that the planet faces and they believe in recycling in their daily life then they will buy more environmentally friendly products.

Environmental information and knowledge have an important role in defining individuals’ attitudes. They impact people's daily choices related to the environment. People's knowledge regarding the environment plays an important part in influencing the conduct because such knowledge addresses the subject to strategies and issues as well as assists with shaping intentions through the belief system (Cheah & Phau, 2011; Laroche et al. 1996). Eco-awareness estimates the consumer's capacity to recognize climate related images, ideas and practices which are associated with attitudes towards the environment (Cheanh & Phau, 2011).

This prompts to first hypothesis:

H1: Eco-awareness has a positive impact towards the attitudes of purchasing an

environmentally friendly product.

Past experience is a vital wellspring of data to take any decision in the future. The nature of clients' experience has become a basic idea in purchaser purchasing conduct (Chen and Chai, 2010). Delgado-Ballester and Munuera-Aleman (2005) set up that the trust of past experience impacts the upcoming purchase choice.

Subsequently, this hypothesis is proposed:

H2: Individuals' previous positive experience with green items will have a positive effect on

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Family and friends are a significant piece of the social activity of people. According to Azjen (2005) the emotional standards in human conduct are made by social pressure. Those individuals (guardians, family members, companions, partners and instructors) who are close to an individual may be the maker of burden socially to play out a specific conduct by that specific individual. Thus, the last hypothesis is:

H3: Friends and relatives’ assessment have a positive effect on purchase intentions towards

green products.

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4. Methodology

This chapter is about the research process, and includes a presentation of the research approach, method, and survey operations.

4.1 Research method

This research is quantitative research based on a survey gathered in Sweden. Quantitative research relies on numerical analysis of data. It is concerned with numbers and their relationships with events (Stabina, 2005). Quantitative research is a systematic and empirical investigation that may be conducted through questionnaires and surveys about the phenomena to test hypotheses with computational techniques. Quantitative research seeks precise measurements and analysis of target concepts (Bhandari, 2020). Quantitative research applies structured and standardized research tools to guide data collection.

The thesis purpose was to study consumer behavior towards green products by analyzing customers' attitudes to choosing to purchase organic cosmetics and further investigate the factors that affect their purchasing behavior by applying a quantitative methodology. In particular, the quantitative research method was used to transform survey data into valid results through a statistical form. It assisted in drawing some conclusions concerning consumer behavior. Furthermore, this method helped to build hypotheses within regression analysis. In this regard, the research design relies on a deductive approach.

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4.2 Data Collection

For the research to be more reliable, the data has been collected in two steps. In the first step, a survey was created (https://forms.gle/qrTrrcyjJ9UA9NGx8) to capture as many as possible response rates. The authors used groups on social media such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, WhatsApp, and LinkedIn to collect data. In the second step, the intercept survey method was used by the authors. Intercept surveys were handled face to face, mainly in a shopping center. For example, interviewers have approached potential respondents leaving a shop selling cosmetic products and asking them to fill the survey questions, either by printed survey papers or by sending the link for the survey. The authors have collected data mainly in Stockholm and Västerås as well as in Uppsala, Eskilstuna, Gothenburg, Malmö, along with other cities and towns in Sweden where the authors have good connections. The time frame required for the data collection was approximately a couple of weeks from the 26th of April 2021, until the 10th of May 2021. Initially, the purpose was to collect a minimum of 40 respondents; eventually, 103 respondents participated. Such a positive result might be linked to the fact that people who completed the survey could share the survey link on their social media to reach more participants.

4.3 Sample

There are several methods for gathering data: the authors decided to apply a method called “convenience sample”. A convenience sample is a non-random sampling method that chooses the easiest method to recruit people (Saunders, Lewis, & Thornhill, 2012).

The advantages of applying the convenience sample are that it is affordable, easy, and not time-consuming (Teddlie & Yu, 2007). However, some disadvantages are that a convenience sample

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cannot be generalized to the population (Stephanie, 2015). It was convenient for the authors to use this method since it is quick to collect samples in a short period of time. Also, a convenience sample helps understand specific trends or develop hypotheses for future research (Jager et al., 2017).

4.4 Primary data

The primary data for the study was gathered using a survey to observe the correlation between the purchase intention and customer. The survey was formulated by the online program Google Forms. Google Forms is the chosen program since its easy layout helps to do the survey fast and its flexibility to various sized screens. The respondents could access Google Forms through their digital devices, whether the respondents are using a mobile phone, tablet, or laptop. The language of the survey is English that is commonly spoken in Sweden.

4.5 Survey design

The survey is one of the methods used in collecting data in the quantitative study. In general, a survey can be descriptive or analytical. (Ghauri & Gronhaug, 2010). Theory testing is usually the focus of an analytical survey while the study of specific aspects of a population is usually done through a descriptive survey (Ghauri & Gronhaug, 2010). Based on the above and in order to gain consumer attitudes towards purchasing organic cosmetics, we have chosen a descriptive questionnaire.

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Survey questions were developed precisely to help testing all hypotheses included in this research. Questionnaire contains 16 close-ended questions of which the first five questions are regarding demographic and the other 11 operationalize (table 1) the theoretical framework previously presented. The survey consists of a mix of question types like multiple choice, dichotomous questions and Likert scale questions. Likert scale is a scale used to measure the level of agreement or disagreement of respondents with a particular statement (Shiu et al., 2009). All these questions are designed to be easy and short to answer in order to get accurate answers from the respondents which will help to serve the purpose of this research.

Variables

Theoretical purpose Survey questions

Demographic

Young people and women consider organic or green products to be more important when purchasing them. (Van Doorn & Verhoef, 2011)

Gender

Age Group

People with high education levels and income are considered to be more involved in green consumption behavior.

(Straughan & Roberts, 1999 ; Wang 2014)

What is your level of education?

What is your current employment status?

What is your average monthly income?

Eco-awareness

Eco-awareness has a positive connection with people's behavioral intention and motivation and engages in behaviors concerning pro-environmental.

(Arı & Yılmaz, 2017)

I understand how to protect the environment and not cause any harm to it.

The use of chemical products in cosmetics that may be harmful for health concerns me.

My understanding of the responsibility towards environment inspires me to buy green products.

I try to use environmentally friendly items as much as possible.

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Past experience and purchase intention

Consumers' experience and past experience on green products brace consumers to purchase green products in the future.

(Young et al., 2010).

During the last month, have you bought any environmentally friendly products?

I have prior experience with green goods.

I usually purchase a cosmetic product that I have had good results within the past.

In the future, I would like to purchase green products.

I am willing to pay a higher price for environmentally friendly goods.

Social influence

Emotional standards in human conduct are made by social pressure

(Azjen, 2005, p.124)

My family encourage me to buy environmentally friendly goods.

My friends advise me to buy green products.

Table 1: Survey operationalization

4.6 Research approach

Contingent upon the idea of exploration, scientists need to pick a reasonable methodology for their undertakings, and we have two of them, the deductive or the inductive approach (Saunders, 2007). The Deductive methodology is the most widely recognized one in the relationship among hypothesis and examination. Deductive methodology devotees use hypotheses dependent on what they want to study and the hypothesis led to get findings (Bryman and Bell, 2011; Bryman, 2012). While Inductive research approach follows the foundation of hypothesis. In this approach the researchers have conducted interviews with a small number of people then they analyze the data

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they collected through the interview finally they make up a theory based on analysis (Saunders, 2009; Saunders, 2003).

Furthermore, the inductive approach needs a small number of samples, while the deductive approach needs a large number of samples. Inductive approach requires qualitative method in data collection, but deductive approach requires quantitative method in data collection (Saunders, 2007; Saunders, 2003).

For this research, the researchers have followed a deductive approach, it is the more relevant approach which will help to analyze and reach an accurate conclusion.

4.7 Analytical Method

The goal of this research is to determine the correlation between single dependent variables and different independent variables (Rahman, 2013).

The authors aimed at identifying the dependent factor which is Swedish consumer attitudes towards purchasing green cosmetics on three independent factors, eco awareness, past experience, and social influence. Data analysis was conducted by using IBM SPSS Statistics, which has an easy interface to use, reliable data output and wide use between statistical researches (Bryman & Bell, 2011).

Hypotheses testing is the technique to recognize whether there is a particular connection between the dependent variable with independent factors (Nolan and Heinzen, 2008). Correlation analysis was directed to set up whether there were any correlations between the factors, the factors must be in mind along these lines for the regression analysis. Correlation analysis can illustrate the strength and course of the connection between the factors (Pallant, 2013).

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The size of the value between -1 and +1 indicates the strength of the relationship, -1 indicates perfectly negative linear relationship and +1 indicates perfectly positive linear relationship in. Values between 0.10 and .0.9 show a low significance; values between 0.10 and 0.29 show a moderate significance; values between 0.30 and 0.99 show a very significant relationship (Pallant, 2013). The bearing of the relationship demonstrates whether the worth is positive or negative. On the off chance that the worth is positive, an expansion or reduction in one variable will change as a similar outcome in the other variable and, if it is negative, an increment or lessening in one variable will change as the contrary outcome in the other variable (Einspruch, 2005). Connections can just give proof if there is a relationship (Einspruch, 2005). A multiple regression model is utilized when a few independent variables exist and it tests the impact every one of the independent factors has on the reliant dependent variable (Hair et al., 2011).

The demographic factors are included in the analysis to get a good of the profile of the respondents.

4.8 Reliability and Validity

Reliability and validity are used to estimate the quality of the quantitative research (Bryman and Bell, 2011). Unwavering reliability and validity depict the validity, dependability, worth, appropriateness and congruity of the investigation (Silverman, 2016)

Reliability refers to the size of measurement, where one scale is called reliable if ceaseless measures are thought of and those rehashed measures are delivering something very similar or predictable outcome for the restitution (Kent, 2007). Kirk and Miller (1986) distinguish three sorts of dependability in quantitative exploration as like: (1) under a specific circumstance results should

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estimations inside a given time span. Cronbach's alpha test will be conducted on the obtained results from the survey to test if survey responses are reliable to study. According to Saunders et al, (2016) p.451 Cronbach’s alpha is “usually used to measure the consistency of responses to a set of questions (scale items) that are combined as a scale (discussed later in this section) to measure a particular concept. It consists of an alpha coefficient with a value between 0 and 1”. Thus, alpha should score at least 0.7 for the responses to be a reliable sample. To do that, Excel is used to calculate “Anova test Two sides without replication” to get Alpha value which refers to the marginal error in the data. The table below gathers the values found the calculated Alpha values from the questions corresponding to the variables in the theoretical framework.

Variables Alpha values

Eco awareness 0.76

Past experience 0.71

Social influence 0.83

Table 2: Cronbach's Alpha results

As seen in the table above all the variables meet the reliability criteria of Cronbach’s alpha test to be above 0.7 which insures sample reliability.

Validity refers to the examination that satisfies its motivation of the investigation and measures what it planned to gauge or the honesty of the exploration results (Joppe, 2000).

Previous studies tried to outline several types of validity that can be used in this research. Usually, validity of a study is measured in three ways: content validity, construct validity and norm validity. The validity of content has been measured prior to publishing the survey, so the researchers must go through all the questions to check if they are understandable by the participants (Bryman &

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Bell, 2011). In this paper the researchers developed the survey based on valid scientific reasons directly related to the aim of this research.

Wainer and Braun (1988) portray the construct validity as an idea, question or speculation that figures out which information ought to be assembled, technique for information assortment and which information ought to be analyzed to get the outcome. It is important that the survey is connected to the theories and the hypothesis (Bryman and Bell, 2011). In this research, the questions were made about what are the important elements that impact the purchase intention of Swedish consumers to buy green products.

Concurrent validity alludes to the theories that have been used in this research are relevant to the concept of the study (Bryman and Bell, 2007, p. 165). In this research the researchers used valid and scientific sources like google scholar and ABI/Inform global to get the included information. Also, all references used were carefully selected in a form they are relevant to the study.

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5. Empirical Findings

A survey was published to test the factors that influence people’s behavior in relation to green cosmetics. The section below shows the complete findings obtained from 103 respondents in which the findings from the variables studied are shown first, followed by the demographic findings.

5.1 Findings from Eco awareness

The chart below shows the findings from consumers’ perception about Eco awareness in which it varied between strong disagreements about environmentally friendly products to strong agreement. However, the chart demonstrates that the majority of consumers agree with the concept of being eco-friendly with an approximate of 71%. On the other hand, 19% of consumers had a neutral attitude to environmental awareness and the rest of consumers had a low awareness level towards the environment.

Figure 2 2% 8% 19% 37% 34%

Eco awareness

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5.2 Findings from past experience

The chart below indicates to the percentages of people with past experience and future purchase intention when it comes to green products. However, the majority of the respondents showed strong agreement about having past experience with green products and an intention to buy or spend money on them in the future. On the other hand, only 17% demonstrated a neutral position about purchase experience for green products and the rest of consumers which are 9% had no have previous purchase experience with green products.

Figure 3 3% 6% 17% 35% 39%

Past experiance

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5.3 Findings from social influence

As clearly seen in this chart below illustrates the social influence which refers to how the society and culture affects consumers’ perception towards green products. However, the majority of consumers are neutral to believe that their society affects their behavior of buying green products due to social influence. On the other hand, it is almost an equal percentage of consumers that stand between agreeing and disagreeing to the social influence. Lastly, around 24% of consumers do not agree that social influence affects their choice of purchase.

Figure 4 16% 21% 33% 22% 8%

Social influence

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5.4 Demographic findings

5.4.1 Gender

Table 3 below shows the frequency distribution of respondent’s gender. From the table, we can extrapolate that most respondents’ 73 (70.9%) are Female while only 30 (29.1%) are male from the total of 103 respondents. Gender is a key aspect when it comes to this study, as it is important to see the how different genders behave towards green products to be able to form a clear picture about the behavior of consumers.

Gender Frequency Percent Valid Male 30 29.1 Female 73 70.9 Total 103 100.0 Table 3

5.4.2 Age group

Table 4 represents the frequency distribution of respondent’s Age Group. From the table, we can infer that the majority respondents’ 54 (52.4%) were between 18 – 24 years of age. Followed by 25 – 34 with 37(35.9%) respondents. This indicates that a high percentage of young people participated and are considering green products. On the other hand, the smallest age group

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participated was 1 (1.0%) of the respondents in the ages between 55-64 years. Previous studies showed that young people usually tend to care for the environment and follow the trends which might be the reason for the high number of young respondents.

Age group Frequency Percent Valid 18-24 54 52.4 25-34 37 35.9 35-44 7 6.8 45-54 2 1.9 55-64 1 1.0 65+ 2 1.9 Total 103 100.0 Table 4

5.4.3 Level of education

Education is usually connected with better purchase decisions when it comes to green products. Table 5 illustrates the frequency distribution of respondents’ educational level. From the table, we can deduce that most respondents 52 (50.5%) are bachelor’s degree holders. Second highest was

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master’s degree with 16(15.5%) respondents. The results confirmed that high education levels played a positive role in consumer behavior towards green products.

What is your level of education?

Frequency Percent

Valid Some high school, no diploma 8 7.8

High school graduate 11 10.7

Some college credit, no degree 14 13.6

Bachelor's degree 52 50.5 Master's degree 16 15.5 Ph.D. degree 2 1.9 Total 103 100.0 Table 5

5.4.4 Employment status:

Students and employed consumers appeared to show positive behavior towards green products as the majority of respondents were of these groups. Table 6 shows the frequency distribution of respondents’ employment status. From the table, we can see that most respondents 60 (58.3%)

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were students. And 39(37.9%) was employed or self-employed, while only 4 (3.9%) are unemployed.

What is your employment status?

Frequency Percent

Valid Employed or self employed 39 37.9

Student 60 58.3

Unemployed 4 3.9

Total 103 100.0

Table 6

5.4.5 Average income per month:

Income is a major factor when it comes to purchase behavior. It is known that usually green products come with higher prices. Thus, behavior towards green products is more prone to be positive for people with high income. Table 7 represents the frequency distribution of respondents’ average monthly income. From the table, we can infer that most respondents 38 (36.9%) have an average monthly income of 0-10,000 SEK which are mostly students. 35(34%) of respondents have monthly income between 10,000-20,000. While only 4 (3.9%) has an average monthly income of 30,000-40,000 SEK. The results showed that even people with lower income still had a positive attitude towards green products.

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What is your average monthly income? Frequency Percent Valid 0 - 10 000 SEK 38 36.9 10 000 - 20 000 SEK 35 34.0 20 000 - 30 000 SEK 11 10.7 30 000 - 40 000 SEK 4 3.9

More than 40 000 SEK 8 7.8

Prefer not to answer 7 6.8

Total 103 100.0

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6. Analysis

In this part a full statistical analysis will be executed upon the data where first, a correlation analysis between variables is shown to study the relation and the statistical difference between variables. Nevertheless, a hypothesis testing will follow to prove if the relationship between variables is valid.

6.1 Correlations and statistical significance

6.1.1 Hypothesis 1

The Pearson Correlation value of 0.295 and Significant value (P-value = 0.002) shows the existence of a strong statistically significant correlation between people's environmental information and knowledge (My understanding of the responsibility towards the environment inspires me to buy green products and I understand how to protect the environment and not cause any harm to it) towards purchasing an environmentally friendly product since the P-value of 0.002 is less than 0.05 (95% confidence level).

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Correlations My understanding of the responsibility towards environment inspires me to buy green products I understand how to protect the environment and

not cause any harm to it My understanding of the

responsibility towards environment inspires me to buy green products

Pearson Correlation 1 .295**

Sig. (2-tailed) .002

N 103 103

I understand how to protect the environment and not cause any harm to it

Pearson Correlation .295** 1

N 103 103

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).

Table 8

6.1.2 Hypothesis 2

The Pearson Correlation value of 0.013 and significant value (P-value = 0.899) depicts the existence of no statistically significant correlation between people's past experiences (I have prior experience with green goods and I usually purchase a cosmetic product that I have had good results within the past) and their purchase intention toward green product since the P-value of 0.899 is greater than 0.05 (95% confidence level).

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Correlations I have prior experience with green goods I usually purchase a cosmetic product that I have had good results within the

past I have prior experience with

green goods

Pearson Correlation 1 .013

N 103 103

I usually purchase a cosmetic product that I have had good results within the past

Pearson Correlation .013 1

N 103 103

Table 9

6.1.3 Hypothesis 3

The Pearson Correlation value of 0.525 and significant value (P-value = 0.000) shows the existence of a strong statistically significant correlation between friends and relative's assessment (My friends advise me to buy green products and my family encourage me to buy environmentally friendly goods) with respect to their purchase intention toward green product since the P-value of 0.000 is less than 0.05 (95% confidence level).

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Correlations My family encourage me to buy environmentally friendly goods My friends advise me to buy green products My family encourage me to buy environmentally friendly goods Pearson Correlation 1 .525** Sig. (2-tailed) .000 N 103 103

My friends advise me to buy green products

Pearson Correlation .525** ₁

N 103 103

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).

Table 10

6.2 Testing the Hypotheses

6.2.1 Crosstabs for Hypothesis 1

Hypothesis

H0: Eco-awareness has a positive impact towards the attitudes of purchasing an environmentally friendly product.

H1: Eco-awareness has a positive impact towards the attitudes of purchasing an environmentally friendly product.

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I understand how to protect the environment and not cause any harm to it * My understanding of the responsibility towards environment inspires me to buy green products Crosstabulation.

Count

My understanding of the responsibility towards environment inspires me to buy green products

Total Strongly

disagree Disagree Neutral Agree

Strongly agree I understand how

to protect the environment and not cause any harm to it Disagree 0 0 2 5 0 7 Neutral 1 2 4 4 1 12 Agree 3 6 10 16 9 44 Strongly agree 0 1 8 9 22 40 Total 4 9 24 34 32 103 Table 11

The table above represents the cross tabulation of people's environmental information and knowledge (My understanding of the responsibility towards environment inspires me to buy green products and I understand how to protect the environment and not cause any harm to it) with respect to purchasing an environmentally friendly product. From the table, we can deduce that most of the respondents (22) strongly agree that people's environmental information and knowledge has a positive impact towards the attitudes of purchasing an environmentally friendly product.

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Chi-Square Tests Value df Asymptotic Significance (2-sided) Pearson Chi-Square 26.432a 12 .009 Likelihood Ratio 30.033 12 .003 Linear-by-Linear Association 8.902 1 .003 N of Valid Cases 103

a. 14 cells (70.0%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is .27.

Table 12

The Pearson Chi-Square value of 26.432 and significant value (P-value = 0.009) depicts the existence of a statistically significant association between people's environmental information and knowledge (My understanding of the responsibility towards environment inspires me to buy green products and I understand how to protect the environment and not cause any harm to it) toward purchasing an environmentally friendly product since the P-value of 0.009 is less than 0.05 (95% confidence level). Hence, the null hypothesis (H01 : Eco-awareness has a positive impact towards the attitudes of purchasing an environmentally friendly product) is rejected while the alternative hypothesis (HA1 : Eco-awareness has a positive impact towards the attitudes of purchasing an environmentally friendly product) is valid and not rejected.

Consumer behavior towards green cosmetic products in Sweden