Environmental awareness and perceived utility shape the value–intention gap in green consumption

This study investigates the value–intention gap in green consumption, a key stage within the broader value–action gap where consumers’ strong environmental values do not consistently translate into actual green purchasing intention. Grounded in the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and the value-belief-norm (VBN) theory, we develop a theoretical framework that conceptualizes environmental awareness and perceived utility as contextual moderators shaping the effectiveness of environmental values. Using survey data from 618 consumers, hierarchical regression and PROCESS analyses were conducted to test the proposed model. The results indicate that environmental values significantly predict green consumption intention. Environmental awareness strengthens the relationship between environmental values and intention by enhancing consumers’ cognitive linkage between abstract values and concrete consumption contexts. Perceived utility exerts an even stronger moderating effect by improving consumers’ cost–benefit evaluations of green products. By proposing a cognition–utility dual moderation mechanism, this study provides a conditional explanation for value–intention translation and refines existing TPB–VBN applications. The findings offer theoretical insights into the value–intention gap and practical implications for promoting green consumption.