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Does Green Fashion Retailing Make Consumers More Eco-friendly? The Influence of Green Fashion Products and Campaigns on Green Consciousness and Behavior

Namhee Lee 1 , Yun Jung Choi

1 ,

Chorong Youn 1 , and Yuri Lee

1

Abstract This study focuses on fashion retailers’ as the gatekeepers’ role of encouraging eco-friendly con- sumption culture, that is, consumption of green products. The purpose of this study is to propose and test a green retailing effect model involving different persuasion routes among green private brand (PB), green marketing campaigns, green consciousness and behavior, and to explore the mod- erating effect of marketing communication involvement (MCI). The research shows that perception of green PBs has positive impact on consumers’ green behavior. Perception of green campaigns has a significant influence on consumers’ green consciousness and indirect impact on consumers’ green behavior. The relationship between consumers’ perception of green campaign and green conscious- ness is stronger in the low MCI group. The model is helpful in understanding the positive impact of fashion retailers’ green retailing activities on green consumption culture. The result also provides strategic guidelines for retailers about their sustainable retail activities.

Keywords green retailing, green consciousness, green behavior

Global retailers’ eco-friendly policies and investments in their implementation demonstrate that

green retailing is no longer an option, but an essential part of the business model. Green retailing

refers to retailing products with environmental benefits (hereafter, green products; Lai, Cheng, &

Tang, 2010). The green concept is related to the ecological dimension of sustainable development,

which consists of its sociocultural, ecological, and economic subdimensions. Among these, the

1 Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea

Corresponding Author:

Yun Jung Choi, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanang-no, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 151742, Republic of Korea

Email: [email protected]

Clothing and Textiles Research Journal 30(1) 67-82 ª The Author(s) 2012 Reprints and permission: sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/0887302X12446065 http://ctrj.sagepub.com

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ecological dimension has drawn the most attention (Elkington, 1997). As consumers’ awareness of

environment increases along with the global demand for green products, major global retailers create

labels claiming environmental benefits, or green labels, (e.g., Green Collections of Gap and Carbon-

Neutral Lingerie of M&S) and indexes to evaluate ‘‘greenness’’ of suppliers and/or products for

practicing sustainability (e.g., Sustainability Index of Wal-Mart and the Eco Index TM

of The U.S.

Outdoor Industry Association). Such policies of retailers who have a large number of employees and

stores across the globe inspire other retailers to jump onto the bandwagon of green retailing.

The ultimate goal of green retailing is to benefit the environment. With this in view, this study

focuses on the unique role of retailers in green retailing. Retailers can change consumers’ conscious-

ness and behavior by directly interacting with them. Recently, the retailers started drawing renewed

attention as gatekeepers who can lead a good consumption culture (Solomon & Rabolt, 2004),

including consumers’ eco-friendly behavior. As retailers encourage consumption of green products

and discourage consumption of nongreen products through green retailing, they directly influence

consumer behavior. Accordingly, the question, ‘‘Is green retailing truly beneficial to the environ-

ment?’’ may be replaced by ‘‘Do consumers practice consumption of green products because of

green retailing?’’

Green consciousness and green behavior refer to environmental concern and belief, and con-

sumption of green products, respectively (Kim & Damhorst, 1998). Although some studies claim

to focus on the consumer attitude toward corporate environmental activities (Creyer & Ross,

2004; Ogle, Hyllegard, & Dunbar, 2004), they hardly carried out analytical work on the relationship

between consumers’ green consciousness and green behavior as a result of green retailing. This

study focuses on retailers’ social role—the gatekeeper’s role—that can encourage the eco-

friendly consumption culture of individuals to verify whether green retailing actually influences

consumer practice of green consciousness-and-behavior. Considering that the retailers’ social role

is performed through a persuasion process, the Elaboration Likelihood Model or ELM (Petty &

Cacioppo, 1986) was adopted to describe the way in which consumers’ perception of green retailing

is determined by the type of retailing mix. This study provides important implications to both aca-

demia and industry. Academically, the study associates green corporate activities with consumers’

green consciousness-and-behavior, a major topic in sustainability studies, by showing green activ-

ities of corporations result in convincing consumers of green consciousness and behavior. Indust-

rially, the study can motivate corporations to voluntarily undertake green activities with the

belief that retailers can be the ones who lead the consumption culture.

Literature Review

Green Retailer and Green Retail Mix

The concept of sustainability was born out of the warning that the ecosystem is irreplaceable. It has

been discussed globally by governments, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and corporations

since the Rio Earth Summit of 1992 referred the issue to the United Nations Conference on environ-

ment and development. According to Elkington’s (1997) triple-bottom-line of sustainability, sus-

tainable corporate management consists in environmental protection, social responsibility, and

economic profitability. Among these, environmental protection has drawn the most attention. When

corporations respond passively to their environmental responsibilities, consumers show strong neg-

ative responses. Therefore, companies have been trying to strike a long-term balance between envi-

ronmental protection and economic growth (Berry & Rondinelli, 1998).

Among different eco-friendly activities, green retailing is what most retailers seem to follow

enthusiastically for fulfilling their environmental responsibilities (Lai et al., 2010). Green retailing

comprises two parts: green product sales and eco-friendliness of other activity mixes. Green product

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sales include selling organic and wellness-related products. Management of other mixes contributes

to symbiosis with the surroundings with regard to nonproduct management, including retail supply

chain, customer-facing initiatives, and facilities management (Yudelson, 2009).

Among various green retail mixes, the focus here is on the green products and promotion. Stern

and Ander (2008) assert that selling green products is the most important activity to become a suc-

cessful green retailer, besides communicating greenness with consumers and communities as an

alarm to awaken retailers’ consciousness of the environment. Other studies point out that green prod-

ucts and green promotions directly influence consumers’ behavior and consciousness and are hence

important green retail mixes to green consumers (Birgelen, Semeijn, & Keicher, 2009; Jonas & Roo-

sen, 2005; Moore, 1995). Given the importance of green products and their promotion to consumers,

we intend to position our theory in the fashion retail context in an effort to contribute, via empirical

insight, to the understanding of green retailing and the prevalence of attention toward the important

role of fashion retailers in the area of environment protection.

Green Retailer as a Gatekeeper

Retailers assume the role of gatekeepers because there has been a change in their roles over time.

Traditionally, a retailer is considered a mere distributor and is, therefore, regarded as a seller of prod-

ucts. However, modern retailers not only deliver products and services but also respond to consu-

mers’ demands and actively influence their preference and behavior (Lai et al., 2010). By

excluding certain products from the market or by expanding distribution of certain products, retailers

can encourage consumption of eco-friendly products (Hansen & Skytte, 1998). Also, they can edu-

cate consumers by delivering relevant information about green consumption culture and the means

to nurture that culture (Wirthgen, 2005). Bestseller, one of the leading fashion retailers in Denmark,

is a good example of a retailer acting as a gatekeeper. Bestseller, besides developing eco-friendly

logistics center and organic product collection, tries to give its customers an opportunity to buy a

wide range of environment-friendly products (‘‘Bestseller launches organic . . .,’’ 2007).

For retailers to play the role of gatekeeper, it is important that they manage products and infor-

mation (Wirthgen, 2005). While developing a retailer-gatekeeper model for an environment-friendly

food industry, Wirthgen (2005) demonstrates how retailers, as gatekeepers, coordinate producer

cooperation and control the flows of products and information between the food industry and its con-

sumers. In acting as gatekeepers, retailers selectively deliver eco-friendly products and relevant

information to consumers, which results in increasing the consumers’ demand for high quality foods.

Therefore, managing green products and green campaigns is important for green retailers to fulfill

their roles. As product sales and campaigns have both direct and indirect impact on consumer con-

sciousness and behavior, a green retailer may serve as a catalyst for consumption of green products.

This impact is manifested in the form of different attitudes and behaviors depending on how the con-

sumers perceive green retail activities (Swait & Sweeney, 2000). Therefore, green retailing by fash-

ion retailers may have strong influence on inducing consumption of green products if consumers

perceive high values from the retailers’ activities. Based on the Wirthgen (2005)’s model, this study

reconstructs a ‘‘green fashion retailer’s gatekeeper-model (Figure 1),’’ which explains how a retailer

filters products and information through green product and campaign management and induces

green consciousness-and-behavior.

Green Consciousness-and-Behavior

Green consciousness is environmental concern and belief, and green behavior is consuming green

products (Kim & Damhorst, 1998). While many studies claim that individuals with green conscious-

ness are more likely to engage in environmentally responsible consumption (Birgelen et al., 2009),

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some recent studies report a weak relationship between green consciousness and green behavior

(Hughner, McDonagh, Prothero, Shultz, & Stanton, 2007). That explains why the impact of green

retailing on consumers’ behavior should be examined from different perspectives of green con-

sciousness and green behavior. For example, Kim and Damhorst (1998) find that the influence of

environmental concerns on environmentally responsible behavior is, in general, different from that

on environmentally responsible apparel consumption behavior. From this, one can expect to find

interesting relationships between green consciousness and green behavior of fashion products con-

sumers and the influence of green retailing activities on them.

Hypotheses

Influence of Green Fashion Products on Green Behavior

Albino, Balice, and Dangelico (2009) define a green product as a product devised to minimize envi-

ronmental damage throughout its lifecycle. According to Pujari et al. (2003) , green products play a

key role in the sustainable growth of companies and economies. These definitions focus mostly on

the manufacturing processes of green products. Therefore, this study establishes a fashion retailer’s

green private brand (PB) as an equivalent concept of manufacturers’ green products to examine their

relationships with consumers. A green PB is an eco-friendly brand, which labels proprietary prod-

ucts of a retailer and thus a combination of green products and a PB.

Green PBs provide retailers with competitive advantages such as differentiation and consumer

loyalty (Jonas & Roosen, 2005). Most green PBs concentrate on organic products and fast-

moving consumer goods, but recently, they started expanding their territories to beauty, health, and

fashion products (Berges-Sennou, Bontems, & Requillart, 2004). The availability and development

of natural fabrics and new materials, such as ‘‘green cotton’’ or ‘‘environmentally nonhazardous’’

material, has become more significant for fashion retailers (Moore, 1995). Other than the increasing

importance of green fashion PBs in the market, there is little academic evidence to analyze and guide

the trend.

As regards nonfashion products such as organic food PBs, satisfaction or perceived positive qual-

ity of green products has greater impact on behavioral variables including purchase intention than on

consumers’ belief or opinions (De Pelsmacker & Janssens, 2007; Straughan & Roberts, 1999). The

direct impact of consumer’s evaluation of green products on consumer behavior is attributed partly

Stage 2. Retailer’s Filtering

Stage 1. Supplying of Fashion Products & Information

Stage 3. Consumers’ Perception & Green Consumption Culture

Consumers

Green Product

Green Campaign

Suppliers Green Retailer

as Gatekeeper

Figure 1. Green fashion retailer’s gatekeeper-model. Source: Adapted from Retailer’s gatekeeper-model (Wirthgen, 2005).

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to the physicality of products. Smith and Swinyard (1983) argue that in a promotional situation,

direct product trial has a greater influence than advertising on consumers’ attitude, because the tan-

gibility of products dilutes educational aspects of green retailing. By purchasing and using products,

consumers accumulate product experiences (Sproles, 1979). That is, heuristic accumulations are

built by experiences, not by communication via persuasive media, such as services or education.

Thus, selecting green products can make a behavioral change by consumers’ product experiences,

rather than consumers’ eco-friendly consciousness. The effect of green PBs on consumers’ green

behaviors can refer to the peripheral route of ELM in terms of the direct path between a message

and a behavioral response. Without much cognitive elaboration of the message, the experience with

the topic can directly persuade consumers to choose a product.

Accordingly, among green retailing activities, a hypothetical path can be established in that green

product perception of the consumers, which directly impacts green behavior without the mediation

of green consciousness. As green product-related activities of fashion retailers have meaningful

direct impact on the formation of behavioral attitude toward consumption of green products, the fol-

lowing hypothesis is propounded:

Hypothesis 1: Consumers’ positive (or negative) perception of Green PB has positive (or nega-

tive) direct impact on consumers’ green behavior.

Influence of Green Fashion Campaigns on Green Consciousness and Green Behavior

Green campaign is one of the green promotion activities which focus on the environmental aspects

of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Green promotion requires a careful consideration of public

policy processes and environmental concerns to persuade consumers effectively (Prakash, 2002).

Green promotions, as a tool of CSR activities, improve corporate image, induce product and service

purchases, and change consumers’ eco-friendly attitude (Birgelen et al., 2009; Brown & Dacin,

1997). As the green campaigns do not appear to have any commercial purpose, they can motivate

the consumers to participate, and thereby serve as effective tools to persuade consumers. Even

so, not many studies were carried out on fashion retailers’ green campaign activities and consumer

behavior.

The impact of consumers’ perceptions of the enlightenment of green campaigns on their con-

sumption of green products is processed through a mechanism similar to the impact of environmen-

tal education on receivers. Although the message senders are different, one a retailer and the other a

public agency, their purpose is the same—convincing message receivers. In marketing, persuasion is

a process through which communication is delivered to change beliefs or attitudes in the intended

way (Solomon, 2009). When message receivers, namely the consumers, perceive the eco-friendly

messages of the campaigns, they have more positive thoughts than negative ones, because of this

attitudinal changes may occur as the message intends (Bator & Cialdini, 2000; Kim, Forney, &

Arnold, 1997). This means that receivers’ attitudinal changes are caused by processing cognitive

responses.

The consumers’ persuasion process of such green campaigns is explained by the central route of

the ELM. The ELM includes both the peripheral and the central routes to persuasion, depending on

the receiver’s motivation and the ability to interpret the message. Persuasion through messages

affects consumers through their cognitive interpretation of the messages. Bator and Cialdini

(2000) suggest that the influence of public communication campaign be structured through the cen-

tral route of the ELM. Simmons and Widmar (1990) also find that environmental education has lit-

tle, if any, direct impact on consumers’ eco-friendly behavior, but has indirect impact through

changes in their eco-friendly consciousness. According to the foregoing discussions, green cam-

paigns are expected to persuade consumers through the central route of the ELM. A persuasion

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model is established such that consumers’ perception of green campaigns will influence changes in

their eco-friendly consciousness, and the changed consciousness will, in turn, influence their eco-

friendly consumption. In other words, consumers’ perception of green campaigns will reinforce their

green behavior by the mediation of green consciousness. The following hypothesis is based on this

premise:

Hypothesis 2: Consumers’ positive (or negative) perception of Green campaign has positive (or

negative) direct impact on consumers’ green consciousness.

Although several studies propose a weak relationship between green consciousness and green beha-

vior (Hughner et al., 2007), most studies continue to identify the significant positive relationship

between eco-friendly concern and behavior (Arbuthnot, 1977; Kallgren & Wood, 1986; Simmons

& Widmar, 1990). The concept of weak relationship between green consciousness and green beha-

vior stems from the fact that environmental goods are similar to public goods, unlike other consumer

goods. For a clear understanding of the effects of green retailing, one needs to establish the nature of

relationship between consciousness and behavior by experimental evidence. If the relationship is

found to be positive, it is significant to prove the indirect impact of green campaigns on consumers’

behavior. Accordingly, the following hypothesis is proposed:

Hypothesis 3: Consumers’ green consciousness has positive direct impact on consumers’ green

behavior.

Moderating Effect of Communication Involvement

It is evident that communication plays an important role in consumers’ understanding of corporate

activities (Keller, 2003). However, not all consumers respond the same way to marketing commu-

nications; some may readily feel arousal and interest, and show emotional attachment and favorable

behavior, while others may feel little arousal or interest and thereby show no change in their attitude

or behavior. Such difference in response depends on conditions of involvement, communication

sources, and differentiation of alternatives (Ray et al., 1973). In particular, involvement serves as

an important variable in communication process (Petty, Cacioppo, & Goldman, 1981). The relation-

ship between communication effect and involvement is found in the research of Krugman (1965)

who considers that the information process can vary depending on advertising involvement. Based

on Krugman’s definition, communication involvement is defined as the interests of general commu-

nication activities of cooperation. Many studies find that communication effect (level of persuasion)

varies according to the level of communication involvement (Aldoory, 2001; Petty et al., 1981).

Therefore, it is expected that the communication effect of green fashion retailing on green con-

sciousness and behavior may differ according to consumers’ communication involvement. As the

influence of communication on decision-making process differs, depending on the communication

tool, it is also expected that the constrained effects of communication involvement may differ

depending on the medium: by products and by campaign. Picker-Baker and Ozaki (2008) show that

consumers’ response to eco-friendly products varies according to the impact of communication.

Similarly, Berens, Van Riel, and Van Bruggen (2005) analyze to what extent the involvement in

communication about products with CSR would influence product purchase behavior. Accordingly,

the following hypothesis is proposed:

Hypothesis 4: Impact of green PB on consumers’ green behavior varies with consumers’ commu-

nication involvement.

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Muehling, Laczniak, and Stoltman (1991) contend that the relationships between consumers’ per-

ception of advertising and the claims of their acceptance (or rejection) of message are moderated

by advertising message involvement. Petty, Cacioppo, and Schumann (1983) report that the impact

of corporations’ message on consumers’ attitude gets stronger in low involvement condition than in

high involvement condition. Therefore, the impact of consumers’ perception of green campaign on

the acceptance of green consciousness varies depending on communication involvement.

Hypothesis 5: Impact of green campaign on consumers’ green consciousness varies with consu-

mers’ communication involvement.

Methodology

Data for this study were collected from 200 Koreans (100 females and 100 males), aged 20–49, by an

online research agent, Embrain, Inc., that has 1.5 million online panels and unique online systems.

Of those respondents, 31.5% were in their twenties, 36.0% in thirties, and 32.5% in forties; about 60% of them were married. To verify whether the value conceived by consumers of green fashion retailing can promote their green consciousness and green behavior, two representative green fash-

ion retailing scenarios—green PB and green campaign—were provided by the online survey

(Appendix A).

Scenario Development

To adopt an empirical approach, eco-friendly policies of Korean fashion retailers were collected,

modified to fit into the framework of this study and adopted to the scenarios. All the scenarios were

developed hypothetically in the form of news articles about fashion retailers. The green PB scenario

was drafted as a news article that emphasizes eco-friendly product lifecycles of ‘‘Eco-Smile,’’ an

eco-friendly PB of a fashion retailer. This retailer planned to increase the number of PB items from

212 as of 2009 year-end to 300 by 2010 year-end. The green campaign scenario was drafted as a

news article that introduces environmental education programs, such as ‘‘Environmental Camp for

Children’’ and ‘‘Green Ladies and Gentlemen Campaign’’ for adults, run by a fashion retailer. A

manipulation check for greenness of the corporation in the scenario was done using a 7-point

Likert-type scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree). Both scenarios were per-

ceived to contain green contents (Green PB, M ¼ 5.37, SD ¼ 1.17; Green Campaign, M ¼ 5.36, SD ¼ 1.17).

Measures

The questionnaire consisted of three questions about consumers’ perception of green retailing (i.e.,

green PB and campaign scenarios), three about green consciousness, three about green behavior

intention, three about communication involvement, and six about demographic characteristics (sex,

age, education, occupation, monthly family income, and marital status). Except for the demographic

characteristics, all other items were measured using 7-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1

(strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree). Consumers’ perception of green PB and green campaign

was measured by utilizing the items of Fisher and Price (1991), green consciousness by the items of

Gill, Crosby, and Taylor (1986), and green behavior by the items of Haytko and Matulich (2008). To

identify the effect of green retailing suggested by, regarding consumers’ communication involve-

ment, the respondents were given sufficient time to read and think about each scenario before

answering the questions. Their green consciousness and green behavior intentions were measured

based on the assumption that they had actually experienced the contents described in the news

articles.

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Results

Measurement Model

To verify the validity of four constructs (perception of green PB, green campaign, green conscious-

ness, and green behavior), by conducting confirmatory factor analysis (see Table 1), AMOS

18.0 was used. This model’s Normed w2 is 1.40, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) ¼ .05, goodness-of-fit index (GFI) ¼ .95, adjusted GFI (AGFI) ¼ .91, and compara- tive fit index (CFI) ¼ .97, all the values being acceptable overall (Schumacker & Lomax, 2004). As suggested by Fornell and Larcker (1981) and Hair, Black, Babin, Anderson, and

Tatham (2010), the model’s convergent validity and discriminant validity were tested. Factor

loadings are within the range of .86–.93, the lower limit being more than the recommended

minimum value by over 0.5. All the estimates of construct reliability are also above the recom-

mended value of 0.7. The variance extracted from each construct ranges from .69 to .80, which

is higher than the recommended value of 0.5. average variance extracted (AVE) of constructs

and the square of correlation coefficient between those two constructs were calculated and

compared; the square of correlation between constructs of all combinations is between .33 and

.66, which is lower than AVE with a range of .69–.80 (see Table 2). Four constructs were found

to be independent of each other, proving the discriminant validity. As for composite reliability,

the range is .84–.90, which is higher than the recommended value of 0.7. The model’s validity

was thus verified and therefore, it was decided to use that model in the analysis.

Table 1. CFA Measurement Model Results

Construct Loadings Cronbach’s a CR AVE

Perception of Green PB I’m satisfied with this activity .88 .91 .88 .77 This activity is the one that I want .89 To participate in this activity was well

worth it .86

Perception of Green Campaign I’m satisfied with this activity .88 .92 .90 .80 This activity is the one that I want .88 To participate in this activity was well

worth it .92

Green Consciousness I think that we should support manufacturers making eco-friendly products

.93 .90 .90 .77

I think that there must be more retailers selling eco-friendly products

.91

I think that we should buy non-Freon gas products in the purchase of spray

.79

Green Behavior I would check whether products have an eco-label

.90 .86 .84 .69

I would buy reusable packaging products, when there are similar products

.86

If I found that the product I used to buy often could harm the environment, I would change to another product

.72

Model Fit w2 (df) ¼ 67.07(48), w2 /df ¼ 1.40 (n ¼ 200) GFI ¼ .95, AGFI ¼ .91, CFI ¼ .99, NFI ¼.97, RMR ¼ .03, RMSEA ¼ .05

Note. AVE ¼ average variance extracted; CR ¼ construct reliability; GFI ¼ goodness-of-fit index; AGFI ¼ adjusted goodness- of-fit index; NFI ¼ normed fit index; RMSEA ¼ root mean square error of approximation; RMR ¼ root mean square residual.

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Structural Model

After identifying a reasonably well-fitting measurement model, the hypothesized structural model

was tested using structural equation modeling (SEM). Figure 2 shows the model fit indices and stan-

dardized estimated structural paths. The proposed structural model fits very well as the values of all

fit indices are above the recommended values. The hypothesized effects are all significant. To iden-

tify the robustness of the model, we compared the additional nested model (i.e., rival model) that

included the direct path from perception of green PB to green consciousness. Compared with the

research model, most of the fit indices for the nested model remain unchanged for the whole sample.

The normed w2 differs by only one decimal place (from 1.37 to 1.50). The additional path is not sta- tistically significant. Compared with the alternative model, the research model is preferred.

Hypothesis 1 is supported because perception of green PBs is found to have positive direct impact

on green behavior. On the other hand, perception of green campaigns is found to have indirect

impact on green behavior, mediated by green consciousness. Therefore, Hypotheses 2 and 3 are sup-

ported. This is the reflection of the educational aspect of green campaigns. From previous study it

can be seen that environmental education effect on consumer behavior is mediated by consumer

Table 2. AVE and Squared Correlation Between Constructs

AVE

Squared correlation

1 2 3

1. Perception of green PB .77 2. Perception of green campaign .80 .55 3. Green consciousness .77 .34 .37 4. Green behavior .69 .34 .33 .66

Note. AVE ¼ average variance extracted.

χ2(df) χ2/df GFI AGFI CFI NFI RMSEA 74.74(50) 1.50 .94 .91 .99 .96 .05 Note: **p<0.01 ***p<0.001

Satisfaction

Expectation

Satisfaction

Expectation

Value

Perception of Green

PB

.18**

Perception of Green

CampaignValue

y4

y5

y1

y2

y3

Green Consciousness

y6

Green Behavior Intention

.63***

.72***

Figure 2. Tested model and structural equation modeling (SEM) results.

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consciousness (Simmons & Widmar, 1990). And, it is clear that the effect of green retailing varies

according to the activities.

Moderating Effect

To test the moderating effect of marketing communication involvement (MCI) on the relationship

between green fashion retailing activities and green consumption, multigroup analysis by AMOS

18.0 was used. A summated score of three 7-point Likert-type items was used to divide whole sam-

ple into two groups—high MCI group (127 respondents who answered more than 4 points) and low

MCI group (73 respondents who answered with 4 points or less). First, the measurement invariance

between the high and low involvement groups was tested by multigroup confirmatory factor analysis

(CFA) (Table 3). The research model was found to fulfill the condition of metric invariance (i.e.,

measurement weight invariance). Generally, metric invariance is relevant to establishing relation-

ships among constructs, which is generally needed in moderation tests for structural relationship

differences (Hair, Black, Babin, Anderson, & Tatham, 2010).

After identifying measurement invariance, tests were conducted by multigroup SEM to verify

whether the difference between the structural models of the low and high involvement groups was

statistically significant, and to identify whether MCI moderates the influence of consumers’ percep-

tion of green retailing activities on their green consumption. First, to examine the moderating effect

of MCI on the relationship between perception of green PB and green behavior, multigroup SEM

was conducted twice between the model that assumes all theoretical paths are totally free (the con-

ceptual model of this study, totally free (TF) model) and the model (constrained model) that assumes

the path to be verified by their moderating effects (i.e., perception of green PB à green behavior) is

the same in both high and low involvement groups. Chi square difference tests show no statistically

significant difference between the Chi square statics (Dw2 ¼ 2.6, Ddf ¼ 1) of different models. In other words, no moderating effect of MCI was identified on the relationship between consumers’

perception of green PBs and green behavior. Therefore, Hypothesis 4 was not supported.

Next, it was verified how MCI affects the relationship between consumers’ perception of green

campaign and green consciousness (Table 4). According to the result of Chi-square difference static,

the model fit of TF model, whose theoretical paths from consumers’ perception of green campaigns

to green consciousness are assumed to be different between the high and low involvement groups,

improved significantly as compared with that of the constrained model (Dw2 ¼ 5.2, Ddf ¼ 1, p < .05). In other words, the MCI moderating effect was identified by the observation that the positive influ-

ence of consumers’ perception of green campaigns on green consciousness differs depending on the

level of communication involvement. By comparing the path coefficients from consumers’ percep-

tion of green campaigns on green consciousness by group, it was found that the low involvement

group delivered .82, against .47 delivered by the high involvement group. This indicates that the

impact of retailers’ green campaigns on consumers’ eco-friendly consciousness is greater in low

Table 3. Measurement Invariance Test Result

Model fit measures Model differences

w2 df p RMSEA CFI Dw2 (Ddf)

Configural invariance 116.17 96 .08 .03 .99 — Metric invariance 125.84 104 .07 .03 .99 9.67 (8) Scalar invariance 146.49 114 .02 .04 .98 20.65 (10)*

Factor covariance invariance 164.26 126 .01 .04 .98 17.77 (12)*

Note. CFI ¼ comparative fit index; RMSEA ¼ root mean square error of approximation. *p <.05.

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involvement groups than high involvement group. Similarly, Schuhwerk and Lefkoff-Hagius (1995)

report that positive relationships between consumers’ evaluation of eco-friendly messages and their

attitude toward products become stronger in low involvement groups. Accordingly, Hypothesis 5 is

supported.

Conclusions

This study is designed to understand the positive impact of fashion retailers’ green retailing activities

on green consciousness and green behavior, based on the persuasion theory. Analysis of the relation-

ship between green retailing activities and green consciousness and green behavior reveals that the

more favorable are the consumers’ perceptions of retailers’ green products and green campaign

activities, the greener are their consciousness and behavior. This underlines the importance of retai-

lers’ voluntary participation in promoting a green consumption culture in society. Kotzab, Munch,

de Faultrier, and Teller (2011) also emphasizes the crucial role of global leading retailers in spread-

ing the green consumption culture. Retailers should assume greater responsibility in spreading eco-

friendly consumption awareness in society and in carrying out green marketing activities.

This study validates the assumption that different green retailing activities would affect consumer

attitudes through different persuasion effect processes. Based on the ELM theory, the consumer per-

suasion process can be approached through the central route and persuasion through peripheral

route. Stimuli, based on consumers’ intuitions and experiences, seem to have direct impact on beha-

vioral changes, more through the peripheral route than through a cognitive process. This study

empirically verified the theoretical path through which, among green retailing activities, higher val-

ues perceived by consumers about products have a more positive impact on encouraging consumers’

eco-friendly behavior. On the other hand, highly enlightening green campaigns, in a similar context

to environmental education, persuade consumers through the central route that affects their con-

sciousness first and then their behavior, involving a cognitive attitudinal change process.

The cumulative empirical evidence, gathered by verifying different persuasion routes of green

retailing activities about central and peripheral routes, provides strategic guidelines to retailers about

the effect of their activities. For example, the retailers for whom economic performance such as rev-

enue growth is a priority may focus on developing green products and PBs. Because consumer beha-

vior is more directly connected to the sales performance of companies in terms of purchasing than is

green consciousness. On the other hand, the retailers for whom long-term relationships with

Table 4. Testing for Marketing Communication Involvement (MCI) as a Moderator in the Relationship Between Green Consumption and Green Consciousness (Multigroup Structural Equation Modeling [SEM] Test Results)

Model characteristic Unconstrained group model (totally free for each group)

Constrained group model (GP !; GC equal across groups)

Model differences

Model fit w2 123.89 139.06 5.17 df 100 101 1 CFI .99 .98 —

RMSEA .04 .04 — Path estimate (PGC, GP)

.82 (low MCI)***,.47 (high MCI)*** .58 (combined)***

Note. CFI ¼ comparative fit index; GC ¼ green consciousness; GP ¼ perception of green campaign; RMSEA ¼ root mean square error of approximation. *** p < .001.

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consumers is a priority for long-term business growth may learn from this study that they should

maintain green activities such as green campaigns. As their eco-friendly attitude improves, the con-

sumers may turn develop a favorable attitude toward green retailers, and ultimately could better

business performance of the retailers.

This study successfully identifies the positive impact of the fashion retailer’s role as a gatekeeper,

which provides a sound basis to policy makers for investment in environmental regulation or an

encouragement strategy for the corporate sector. Most previous environmental policies pertaining

to retailers, such as regulation on carbon dioxide emissions or the treatment of waste, are somewhat

passive or defensive strategies in nature. Instead, the policy makers may consider encouraging retai-

lers to execute green retailing strategies more actively by means of their retail mix, directly affecting

consumers’ green consciousness. The policy makers may focus on developing various initiatives for

retailers to perceive their social role as green gatekeepers rather than a mere seller taking advantage

of sales profits. Endowing rewards such as benefits in taxation or holding special workshops to

enlighten retail managers about their gatekeeper’s role could be a possible initiative.

This study also shows that the positive influences of green retailing activities on green conscious-

ness and green behavior vary depending on the type of retailing activity and MCI. The analysis of

MCI moderating effects reveals no significant difference between MCI groups in the relationship

between perception of green PBs and their green behavior. However, the relationship between con-

sumers’ perceptions of green campaign and green consciousness becomes stronger in the low invol-

vement group. Consumers with high MCIs do not tend to change their attitudes until they are

affected by several communication clues and green campaigns, while those with low MCIs tend

to change with a single peripheral clue (Solomon, 2009). Therefore, in utilizing green communica-

tion strategies, retailers may consider providing only a few focused messages to low MCI involve-

ment groups, but diverse green communication activities to high involvement groups. Focused green

communications by retailers can have great impact on the people with low MCI. Besides, they have

meaningful implications to policy makers in terms of targeting and planning their programs. For

example, their primary target audience should be those with low MCI, because the effect of green

campaigns becomes stronger with the low MCI group. To enlighten the people with low MCI about

green consciousness, policy makers may focus on a seminar or a promotion event with a simple and

clear message, rather than with detailed information.

This study focuses on only two persuasion routes of green retailing, but it may be worthwhile to

identify and examine more persuasion routes for marketing different marketing mixes, such as price,

promotion, place, and product, by combining existing persuasion theories. Each phase of the

extended process of the ELM, such as attention, comprehension, elaboration, integration and endur-

ing attitude changes, may be considered separately. In addition, messages related to both products

and nonproducts should be studied. This study focuses on how corporate retailing activities influ-

ence consumers’ green consciousness and green behavior. It will be meaningful if further studies

are carried out to quantify the difference in consumers’ green consciousness and green behavior

before and after experiencing green retailing activities by focusing on the eco-friendly changes in

consumers’ consumption behavior. In addition, more situational and contextual variables may have

to be considered in the overall persuasion process of eco-friendly activities. For example, this study

measured only consumers’ perceptions of green retailing activities, but further studies may examine

how consumers’ (or information receivers’) characteristics such as how their previous experience

and familiarity with information affects the overall persuasion process.

Appendix A

1. Green PB Scenario: Fashion retailer A is encouraging people to consume green products through

green private brand (PB) management. A proprietary PB is owned and developed by a retailer.

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Retailer A is operating 212 green PB items as of the 2009 year-end and planning to expand the

portfolio to 300 items by the end of 2010. Its green PB products are labeled ‘‘Eco-Smile’’ and the

lifecycles of all products from manufacturing to distribution are ‘‘environmentally friendly.’’ Retai-

ler A uses organic materials or natural fabrics such as bamboo 1

and corn, then adopts eco-friendly

dyeing processes in order to minimize damage and hazards to the environment and to consumers.

In addition, it tries to reduce CO2 emissions and energy consumption by decreasing transportation

distances (80% of suppliers located less than one and a half hour’s drive away from a distribution center) and frequencies (transporting large quantities at one time by heavy duty trucks).

2. Green Campaign Scenario: Fashion retailer A is encouraging consumers to perceive and participate

in green movements through active green campaigns. It has hosted an ‘‘Environment Camp for

Children’’ since 2000, having educated more than 2,500 children so far. Children participating in

this camp have experienced a variety of programs such as reforming clothes that they do not wear

anymore, publishing newspapers about green movements of A’s retail stores after visiting them, and

touring organic cotton t-shirt factories. Along with children’s programs, A is also expanding its

adult education program, ‘‘Green ladies and gentlemen’’ since 2005. This campaign provides adults

with eco-friendly guidelines about purchase, consumption, and disposition through ‘‘Green

classes,’’ and anyone who takes the class is granted a green mileage card in which he or she accu-

mulates green mileage of 10% of green label product purchase. This mileage can be used as a cash equivalent in any of A’s store when he or she shops there.

Appendix A: Note

1. We used the examples of bamboo and corn as eco-friendly fibers or materials in this study. Within the Korean

apparel market, bamboo and corn have been recognized as eco-friendly materials, by focusing on the source of

cellulose fibers extracted from bamboo and corn (http://m.outdoornews.co.kr/articleView.html?

idxno¼3684&menu¼3). Although bamboo fibers have been under scrutiny in the United States as the U.S. Fed- eral Trade Commission has warned the extensive and harmful chemical processes that bamboo fibers may be

required during the fiber production stage (http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt160.shtm), in

Korea, these concerns have rarely been raised in the public and the most retailers and fashion magazines still

advertise bamboo fibers as eco-friendly options (http://www.montbell.co.kr/montbell/html/04_pr/01_report_

list.asp?mode¼view&idx¼901). Therefore, we have used bamboo as an example of eco-friendly materials in this study to assess Korean consumers’ perception of green PB.

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of

this article.

Funding

The authors disclosed receipt of the financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this

article: This research was funded by Asian Institute for Energy, Environment, & Sustainability at Seoul

National University, Korea.

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Bios

Namhee Lee received her Master’s degree in Human Ecology from Seoul National University. She works as a

fashion consultant of Korean Color and Fashion Trend Center in Korea. Her research interests include Green

retailing and CSR.

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Yun Jung Choi received her Bachelor’s degree, Master’s and Ph.D in Human Ecology from Seoul National

University. Her research has been appeared in cross cultural studies and country image. Research interests

include Industry competitiveness and luxury brand marketing.

Chorong Youn received her Bachelor’s degree, Master’s and Ph.D in Human Ecology from Seoul National

University. Dr. Youn’s research interests include Fashion retailing and CSR.

Yuri Lee, PhD, is an associate professor in the Department of Clothing and Textiles at Seoul National Univer-

sity, Korea. The areas of her research interests include global sourcing strategies and supply chain management

in the textile and fashion industry, interrelationships between country image and fashion products, and retail

channel diversification.

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