Green purchasing intention in online shopping: Determinants and implications from a Vietnamese gen Z case study

Green purchasing minimizes environmental impact, promotes ethical supply chains, and drives long-term economic growth. Promoting green consumption is essential for conserving natural resources and ensuring a better quality of life for future generations. However, there is insufficient research on the green intentions of online shoppers, who play a vital role in the digital economy. In addition, studies exploring the impact of e-commerce platform features (EPF) on green purchase intention (GPI) are lacking in the literature. Hence, this study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the GPI of online shoppers and to offer practical guidance to promote sustainable consumption. The study adopted a mixed-methods approach, starting with a review of empirical studies from major academic databases to identify key drivers of GPI and develop the research model and hypotheses. The proposed model was then refined through expert consultation and adapted to the Vietnamese context before being empirically tested with 392 Gen Z online shoppers. The results demonstrated that EPF had the strongest positive effect on GPI, followed by Environmental Awareness (EA) and Perceived Behavioral Control (PBC). Moreover, this study proposed actionable solutions for governments, manufacturers, e-commerce platforms, researchers, and online customers. Specifically, this study presents a prototype mobile interface to improve e-commerce platforms and app sdesign, such as adding filters for eco-friendly, certified green products and green delivery, to encourage environmentally responsible purchasing among young buyers.