CONSUMER ACCEPTANCE OF GREEN PACKAGING IN FAST-MOVING CONSUMER GOODS: A STUDY IN KALUTARA CITY, SRI LANKA

Abstract

There is a considerable environmental risk resulting from the packaging used in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry, this creates significant amounts of waste, especially due to excessive usage of plastic Therefore, the growing environmental concerns has made it essential to introduce green packaging towards reducing environmental waste, protecting the environment, and in achieving sustainable development. Most common barriers in introducing green packaging are lack of environmental awareness, inconvenience, cost, and insufficient government enforcement. Therefore, this study aims at developing a model to understand the motivational drivers behind the adoption of green packaging based on the “Theory of Consumption Value”. The study explores the level of Functional value, Social value, Emotional value, on Consumer acceptance of green packagers in Fast moving consumer goods. Data for this quantitative study gathered through self-administered questionnaires, from 384 consumers visiting shopping malls in Kalutara district, Sri Lanka to purchase FMCG, identified using Convenience sampling method and it is analyzed using SPSS version 25. Findings reveal that the emotional value significantly influence the consumer acceptance of green packaging, while functional value and social value too positively influence consumer acceptance of green packaging. These results contribute in gaining deeper understanding of the factors that motivate consumers to switch from conventional to green packaging. This in turn will contribute towards long-term sustainability, thus enhancing quality of life in emerging markets. Businesses can drive consumer acceptance and promote sustainable consumption by addressing emotional, functional, and social values. To broaden the understanding on this area the future research into consumer acceptance of environmentally friendly packaging in developed and developing countries should adopt longitudinal and comparative methods.