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MD4058 – Research and Study Skills
A research on the impact of green marketing on customer buying behaviour in the UK retail
consumer goods industry, a case study of Unilever, UK.
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Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 3
Context of the study ................................................................................................................... 3
Research aim .......................................................................................................................... 4
Research objectives ................................................................................................................ 4
Literature Review....................................................................................................................... 4
Green marketing..................................................................................................................... 4
Green buying behaviour ......................................................................................................... 4
Relation between green marketing techniques and customer buying behaviour ................... 5
Methodology .............................................................................................................................. 5
Philosophical position and approach ..................................................................................... 5
Research Methodology and methods ..................................................................................... 6
Research design, sample and sampling .................................................................................. 6
Data Analysis ......................................................................................................................... 7
Limitations ............................................................................................................................. 7
Ethical Considerations ........................................................................................................... 7
Research Timeline ................................................................................................................. 8
Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 8
Reference ................................................................................................................................... 9
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Introduction
The primary aim of this research to establish the reasons that lead retail consumer goods
companies to implement green marketing techniques and to explore how these techniques
influence buying behaviour of customers. The first part of the study provides the context, aim
and objectives of the study and the rationale for choosing the topic. The second part analyses
and reviews the available literatures on the research question. The third part is where the
researcher has explained the methodologies that will be followed in the study. The research
timeline and conclusion has also been provided at the end of this study.
Context of the study
Green marketing has been defined by Mahmoud (2018) as the combination of environmental
concerns and marketing mix and marketing communications of organisations. Green
marketing is also a successful strategy that educate consumers on the merits of buying and
using environmentally friendly products and services and thereby influencing their purchasing
behaviours. Yet, green marketing techniques are not as simple as they seem to be and several
implications interconnect and challenge each other (Ranjan and Kushwaha, 2017).
To materialise green marketing techniques, companies need to have complete awareness on the
factors/ reasons that could persuade their consumers to make green purchases (Karunarathna
et al., 2020). There are several factors influencing customer buying behaviour and their ability
of decision making is one among them. Nedumaran (2020) identified that customers in
developed nations like USA, UK etc. are driven by eco-awareness and promote green
purchases. But there are contradictory studies which cite that green marketing techniques have
no role in influencing consumer buying behaviour, especially in consume goods sector. At the
same time, latest literatures suggest that customers are the largest group of stakeholders to any
company and therefore, the latter has the responsibility to generating awareness and changing
buying behaviour of the former.
In UK, not many studies have been found which explored the role of green marketing
techniques in influencing customer buying behaviour in the UK retail consumer goods industry,
and there is growing need for more research in this context. Being one of the fastest growing
and largest contributing sectors in UK, this study has chosen the consumer goods retail industry
in the country. As environmental destruction, global warming issues etc. are rising up, it
becomes necessary to explore on the possibilities of role of green marketing techniques in
influencing customer buying behaviour in the chosen industry.
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Research aim
The main aim of the current research is to investigate on the impact of green marketing on
customer buying behaviour in the UK retail consumer goods industry. The research will be
completed using the case study on Unilever in London.
Research objectives
• To establish green marketing techniques employed by the management of Unilever for
its customers
• To determine the reasons behind implementation of green marketing techniques by
Unilever
• To establish whether, and if so to what extent, the green marketing techniques of
Unilever influences the buying behaviour of its customers in London.
• To provide recommendations for Unilever, London, to efficiently improvise its green
marketing techniques and positively influence customer buying behaviour.
Literature Review
Green marketing
From the perspective of companies as well the society, green marketing has become a
significant area of research. Green marketing is very similar to normal marketing techniques;
but the main difference is that green marketing integrates marketing techniques that promote
the production, pricing, differentiation, distribution and consumption of environmentally
friendly and safe products and services. It is the range of techniques that take initiative to alter
manufacturing processes, alter product lines and packaging methods, and transform advertising
(Shabbir et al., 2020).
Green buying behaviour
In order to understand the factors that drive consumers to make green purchases, it is necessary
to understand what is green behaviour. Green buying behaviour is the act of buying
environmentally safe products and services and which are recyclable and valuable to the
ecology. Through green buying behaviour, consumers avoid the act of busying products and
services that harm the society (Jaju, 2016).
As per Groening, Sarkis and Zhu (2018) several factors influence the decision-making process
of customers before making purchases and awareness about the impact made by their purchases
is main among them. Various studies done on green marketing has shown positive relation with
green buying behaviour of customers. Ardey et al. (2018) observed a positive correlation
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between customers environmental values and their assurance on the performance of eco-
friendly products. several other factors in green marketing could influence the buying decisions
of customers, says Shamim and Ali (2017). Some among them are recycling, use of
biodegradable products, elimination of plastics, saving trees through reduction in use of paper,
avoiding plastics, reducing electricity and water consumption, eliminating use of aerosols,
promoting organic food products etc. Eco-labelling is also an important factor that has
promoted green buying behaviour among customers in recent periods (Yadav, Dokania and
Pathak, 2016).
Relation between green marketing techniques and customer buying behaviour
In accordance with Dangelico and Vocalelli (2017), green marketing techniques focus on the
intensity level of cognitive persuasion strategy. Also, marketers find that the growing high
involvement of consumers in selecting environmental-friendly goods is the reason behind green
purchasing behaviour. Syaekhoni, Alfian and Kwon (2017) but suggested that this is not the
same with every consumer and every market and each market should require different green
marketing techniques so as to influence the buying behaviour of customers. Initiating
environmental awareness is definitely the main factor behind these techniques. Consumers
need to know that at one point both them and the environment are interconnected and only
those marketers who can let consumers know on this will succeed in influencing their buying
behaviour. Green marketing techniques are definitely successful in improving the quality of
life and environmental sustainability. But the process of influencing customer buying
behaviour through green marketing techniques is still complex and companies need to take
extra efforts on the same. It is imperative for the companies to determine and survey customer
needs in a subjective manner to understand about their opinions, thoughts and expectations on
changing their buying behaviour (Shamim and Ali, 2017).
Methodology
Philosophical position and approach
The current study will pursue interpretivism philosophy and deductive approach and will make
use of primary data in order to accomplish the aim and objectives. As mentioned by Snyder
(2019) use of interpretivism philosophy will help in determining why and how green marketing
techniques influences the buying behaviour of customers and also to incorporate human
interests into the study. Deductive approach is best suitable for this study as it will allow in
testing the validity of the known theory on green marketing techniques and customer buying
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behaviour in the context of retail consumer goods sector and to test the facts from a broad
perspective to specific perspective. Moreover, the researcher will be able to quantify the
observations and clarify the causal relationships between the variables under study (Dodds and
Hess, 2020).
Research Methodology and methods
This research aims to establish whether and to what extent, the green marketing techniques
influences the buying behaviour of Unilever customers in London and therefore, gathering of
primary data from the population under study will benefit in gaining accurate and updated
information on the research subject. The researcher will be able to ensure that the data is
authentic and non-duplicated and is unique in relation to the context of the study (Ørngreen
and Levinsen, 2017). Using primary method, the data pertaining to Unilever in London can be
specifically analysed and interpreted and the data will include both qualitative and quantitative
information. When the qualitative data would assist in understanding the feeling and emotions
of the population under study on green marketing techniques, quantitative data will help in
determining the preciseness of such techniques on customer buying behaviour. Moreover, use
of qualitative and quantitative will help in cross-examining and validating the information
gathered from one another and ensure consistency in research findings (Basias and Pollalis,
2018).
Research design, sample and sampling
This study is based on the case study analysis of Unilever consumer goods company in London
and the population under study would include all managers and customers of Unilever. As it is
difficult to study every member in the targeted population, representatives of each group will
be chosen as samples. The researcher aims to give equal important to every member in the
population and therefore, samples will be chosen by applying simple random sampling
technique. It has been studied by Taherdoost (2016) that case study assists in gathering large
amount of information on a company in an in-depth manner. Case study also benefits in
conducting research remotely and to remain relevant during the data collection process and
turn opinions into verified facts. As the most common and suitable techniques in case study
analysis, interviews and surveys will be done in this study with 3 managers and 50 customers
of Unilever London, respectively. Interviews are beneficial in recording the qualitative
opinions on green marketing techniques and customer buying behaviour and surveys are
beneficial in gathering large amount of quantifiable data relating to the research issues, in less
cost and time (Snyder, 2019).
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Data Analysis
The data analysis in this study will be done using descriptive method by assessing the
frequencies and percentages of incidences of various data. In order to represent the gathered
information in a meaningful manner, graphs and charts will be used and this will be done using
MS Excel. The researcher also aims to cross-compare the findings from primary data with the
information from literature review to form a constructive conclusion to the study.
Limitations
With the outbreak of novel coronavirus pandemic, collection of primary data has become
tedious and complex. Meeting every human participant in the study directly is doubtful and
this shall be a major limitation of the study. It is due to this reason that the samples have been
restricted to small size consisting of 3 managers and 50 employees in Unilever, London.
Besides, the time and cost are very limited for the study and so, the study is limited to just one
company i.e., Unilever, in one location which is London. The study will not using any statistical
tools like SPSS and this is also expected to limit the output and findings of the study. As the
study is done on a single company at a single location, the generalisation of findings is limited
to the chosen sample.
To overcome the impact made by the global pandemic, the researcher plans to conduct data
collection through online mode. The time, cost, effort and stress involved in online data
collection is less when compared to physical data collection and the researcher will be able to
concentrate more on data analysis and interpretation. The researcher aims to obtain emails of
employees and customers of Unilever in London and send them a formal request which would
detail the purpose of the study. The managers of Unilever will be approached for an online
face-to-face interview on agreed dates, time and duration. The selected group of customers will
be provided with survey questionnaire via Google form and this will be shared to their emails.
Concurrently, those customers who find it difficult to record their feedback via emails will be
provided with the same Google form questionnaire via WhatsApp, upon their approval and this
shall ease the process of data collection and reduce the limitation caused by the pandemic, to a
great extent (Dodds and Hess, 2020).
Ethical Considerations
This study will strictly follow the rules and regulations prescribed by the Data Protection Act
(DPA) 2018 and personal data of all participants will be maintained with utmost
confidentiality. No information shared by the participants shall be shared with a third party and
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the data gathered will be made use only for this research study. Upon completion of the
research, the data will be properly destructed, abiding the DPA.
Research Timeline
Activities Month (Nov 2020 to July 2021)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Formation and approval of research topic,
aims and objectives
Acceptance of research proposal
Developing overview and introduction to
research
Review and analysis of existing literatures
Primary data collection
Analysis of data
Interpretation of data
Research findings
Conclusions and recommendations
Final submission
Conclusion
As cited by Mahmoud (2018) the popularity for green marketing is increasing day by day as it
is known to be environment friendly and promoting human life sustainability. Many empirical
researches conducted in developed nations have recognised the role of green marketing
techniques in popularising environment friendly purchasing behaviour among consumers. But
influencing purchasing behaviour among consumers using green marketing techniques is still
complex and this aims to establish whether the green marketing techniques of Unilever UK
influences the buying behaviour of its customers in London. As part of the research, the existing
literatures have been reviewed in this report the methodology to be followed for the study has
been detailed. This study has also provided the research timeline at the end.
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Reference
Ardey, R., Rithika, S., Singh, N. and Mehendale, S. (2018) Impact of Green Marketing on
Consumer Buying Behaviour–A Methodological and thematic Review. Asian Journal of
Management, 9(1), pp.802-806.
Basias, N. and Pollalis, Y. (2018) Quantitative and qualitative research in business &
technology: Justifying a suitable research methodology. Review of Integrative Business and
Economics Research, 7, pp.91-105.
Dangelico, R.M. and Vocalelli, D. (2017) “Green Marketing”: an analysis of definitions,
strategy steps, and tools through a systematic review of the literature. Journal of Cleaner
Production, 165, pp.1263-1279.
Dodds, S. and Hess, A.C. (2020) Adapting research methodology during COVID-19: lessons
for transformative service research. Journal of Service Management.
Groening, C., Sarkis, J. and Zhu, Q. (2018) Green marketing consumer-level theory review: A
compendium of applied theories and further research directions. Journal of Cleaner
Production, 172, pp.1848-1866.
Jaju, A. (2016) A study of the Impact of Green Marketing on Consumer Purchasing Patterns
and Decision Making in Telangana, India (Doctoral dissertation, Dublin, National College of
Ireland).
Karunarathna, A.K.P., Bandara, V.K., Silva, A.S.T. and De Mel, W.D.H. (2020) Impact of
Green Marketing Mix on Customers’ Green Purchasing Intention with Special Reference to Sri
Lankan Supermarkets. South Asian Journal, 1(1), pp.127-153.
Mahmoud, T.O. (2018) Impact of green marketing mix on purchase intention. International
Journal of Advanced and Applied Sciences, 5(2), pp.127-135.
Nedumaran, D.G. (2020) Green marketing on customer behaviour towards usage of green
products.
Ørngreen, R. and Levinsen, K. (2017) Workshops as a Research Methodology. Electronic
Journal of E-learning, 15(1), pp.70-81.
Ranjan, R.K. and Kushwaha, R. (2017) Impact of Green Marketing Strategies on Consumer
Purchase Behaviour. Review of Management, 7.
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Shabbir, M.S., Bait Ali Sulaiman, M.A., Hasan Al-Kumaim, N., Mahmood, A. and Abbas, M.
(2020) Green Marketing Approaches and Their Impact on Consumer Behavior towards the
Environment—A Study from the UAE. Sustainability, 12(21), p.8977.
Shamim, N. and Ali, M. (2017) Impact of Green Marketing on Consumer Buying
Behavior. Nigerian Chapter of Arabian Journal of Business and Management
Review, 62(5490), pp.1-15.
Snyder, H. (2019) Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and
guidelines. Journal of Business Research, 104, pp.333-339.
Syaekhoni, M.A., Alfian, G. and Kwon, Y.S. (2017) Customer purchasing behavior analysis
as alternatives for supporting in-store green marketing decision-making. Sustainability, 9(11),
p.2008.
Taherdoost, H. (2016) Sampling methods in research methodology; how to choose a sampling
technique for research. How to Choose a Sampling Technique for Research (April 10, 2016).
Yadav, R., Dokania, A.K. and Pathak, G.S. (2016) The influence of green marketing functions
in building corporate image. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management.
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