Addressing a recognized deficiency in empirical evidence, this study investigates eco-friendly purchasing behavior in Hanoi, Vietnam, a rapidly urbanizing, collectivistic emerging market facing significant environmental challenges. Integrating the established Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) with external determinants (Social Influence, Perceived Green Product Value) drawn from TAM and UTAUT, we analyzed survey data (n = 589) using PLS-SEM to identify key behavioral drivers. Results confirm that intention strongly predicts actual purchase behavior, reinforcing fundamental consumer theory. Key direct determinants, including Environmental Awareness and Perceived Green Product Value, positively influence attitude and intention. Crucially, the structural model reveals a context-specific divergence: Social Influence emerges as a major and dominant predictor of attitude and intention, whereas Personal Norms do not significantly affect attitude. Theoretically, this research advances behavioral models by empirically establishing the relative predictive hierarchy of normative factors in this specific emerging market setting. Practically, insights suggest policymakers must leverage community leaders and social networks to reinforce subjective norms, and businesses should focus on transparently communicating measurable product value to drive effective sustainable consumption strategies.
Cuc et al. (Sun,) studied this question.