The effect of message framing on pro-environmental behavior intentions

Purpose – A considerable amount of research suggests that the way information is processed may influence a purchasing decision; however, this seems to be an issue rarely investigated in green marketing studies. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to draw on the literature related to the Heuristic-Systematic Model of information processing to provide a deeper insight into the factors affecting pro-environmental behavior intention. Design/methodology/approach – The framework highlights the moderator role of environmental motivation and environmental knowledge in the relationships among message framing and pro-environmental behavior intention. The study used an internet survey to help reduce the social desirability bias associated with a face-to-face survey. In total, 497 questionnaires were collected, of which 68 were invalid and 429 were valid. Findings – The results indicate that it might be beneficial for green marketing proprietors to provide product-related information stressing the potential negative consequences of not buying organic food products. This effect, however, is moderated by the degree of the customer’s environmental motivation and environmental knowledge. Originality/value – This stands in marked contrast to the traditional information which emphasizes the positive consequences to motivate customers to purchase organic food products.