Elucidating Green Consumers: A Cluster Analytic Approach on Proenvironmental Purchase and Curtailment Behaviors

ABSTRACT

This study used a cluster analytic approach with the purpose of arriving at a nuanced picture of consumers, in relation to green purchase and curtailment behaviors. Based on Swedish car owners' values, beliefs, norms, habits, and personal capabilities, three clusters emerged that were validated using discriminant analysis: non-greens, curtailers, and ecovators. The profiling constructs showed that ecovators (ecological innovators) had the highest levels of green beliefs and were found to be innovators with respect to a high involvement eco-innovation (the alternative fuel vehicle). Marketing and policy implications together with suggestions for further research on proenvironmental consumer behavior are provided.

KEYWORDS:

• Green consumer behavior
• curtailment
• early adoption
• alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs)
• ecovators
• eco-innovation
• Sweden

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors thankfully acknowledge the financial support from the EU project BEST on alternative motor fuels (TREN/05/FP6EN/ S07.53807/019854), Mikael Brändström and Michael Jalmby at Esam, and the Swedish Road Administration for providing contact information to respondents. For help in data collection, we acknowledge the Transportation Research Unit at Umeå University (TRUM) with head administrator Fredrik Gärling and the following assistants: Frida Byrsten, Anja Hansen, Susanne Nilsson, Malin Stjernström, and Lina Vincent. Insightful comments from two anonymous reviewers on a previous version of this article are thankfully acknowledged.

An earlier version of this article was presented at the AMS (Academy of Marketing Science) World Marketing Congress, July 2009, in Oslo, Norway.

Notes

¹Proenvironmental and green consumer behaviors are used as synonyms here, denoting behavior that is less harmful to the environment than other conventional consumer behaviors.

∗Only measured for AFV owners.