Reconsidering green logistics adoption: the role of perceived behavioral control and ESG information in shippers' selection of logistics service providers

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine how perceived behavioral control and environmental, social and governance (ESG) information shape shippers' adoption of green logistics service providers. Specifically, the study aims to (1) investigate the presence of an intention–behavior gap in green logistics adoption and (2) assess whether ESG information enhances perceived behavioral control, thereby facilitating actual adoption behavior within an extended theory of planned behavior (TPB) framework. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts a quantitative survey-based research design. Data were collected from shippers involved in logistics service provider selection and analyzed using structural equation modeling. The research framework integrates the Theory of Planned Behavior with persuasion theory, incorporating ESG information as an external antecedent influencing perceived behavioral control, behavioral intention and actual adoption behavior. Findings The results show that environmental attitudes significantly influence behavioral intention, while subjective norms do not. Behavioral intention does not directly translate into actual green logistics adoption, indicating a clear intention–behavior gap. Perceived behavioral control has a strong and direct effect on actual adoption behavior. ESG information significantly enhances perceived behavioral control, indirectly strengthening both intention and behavior. Research limitations/implications This study is based on cross-sectional survey data, which limits causal inference. The empirical context focuses on shippers within a specific institutional and regulatory environment, which may affect generalizability. Future research could employ longitudinal designs, cross-country comparisons or experimental approaches to further examine the dynamic role of ESG information in sustainable logistics decision-making. Practical implications The findings suggest that promoting green logistics requires more than fostering pro-environmental intentions. Logistics service providers and policymakers should focus on enhancing shippers' perceived control by improving information transparency, reducing decision uncertainty and strengthening ESG disclosure credibility. ESG ratings can serve as practical decision-support tools that legitimize green logistics choices within organizational governance structures. Originality/value This study contributes original value by reconceptualization green logistics adoption as a control-driven rather than intention-driven process. It extends TPB by identifying perceived behavioral control as the central mechanism in organizational logistics decisions and positions ESG information as a control-enabling governance instrument. This integrated perspective offers a novel theoretical explanation for the persistent intention–behavior gap in sustainable logistics adoption.