Integration of attitudes and behavioral control on intention to consume halal and environment-friendly products

Purpose This study aims to analyze the influence of attitudes and perceived behavioral control on the intention to consume halal and environment-friendly products, and to explore the role of intention as a mediator in bridging these linkages by considering the differences in marital status between married and unmarried groups. Design/methodology/approach The quantitative approach with a self-administered survey was performed through an online survey to 323 respondents who consume halal and environment-friendly products. Data were analyzed using the structural equation modeling technique based on partial least squares (PLS) with the help of SmartPLS version 3.0 to estimate direct and indirect relationships between variables. Findings The findings reveal the contradictory results for married and unmarried groups for the role of attitude and perceived behavioral control in promoting intention to consume halal and environment-friendly products. The consensus exists in the linkage between intention and consumption behavior among these groups. This study also shows that intention cannot mediate between variables for the married group, while it can fully mediate for the unmarried group. Research limitations/implications The unbalanced composition of respondents based on marital status is dominated by the group of unmarried respondents. The result can affect the generalizability of the results to married and unmarried groups. Further investigation is suggested to involve more proportional samples and consider additional variables such as social norms and religiosity in understanding intention and consumption behavior. Practical implications The study shows that marital status can shape the pathways to halal and environment-friendly consumption. This refines the theory of planned behavior (TPB) by showing the life-stage differences and supports integration with the value–attitude–behavior (VAB) framework. For practical matters, it informs differentiated strategies for unmarried consumers to respond to personal attitudes and ethical values, while married consumers prioritize household welfare and affordability. Businesses operating in the halal and environment-friendly sectors are required to align their strategies with Islamic principles to enhance the wider market for both married and unmarried groups. Originality/value This study provides a new approach by integrating TPB and VAB in the context of halal and environment-friendly product consumption and considering marital status as a predictor, which has been overlooked by preliminary studies in this theme.