What Drives Green Purchase Intention: A Cross-Cultural Study

There is a growing global emphasis on sustainable consumption and environmental awareness, with numerous initiatives being undertaken to protect ecosystems and promote a livable environment. Understanding the psychological and cultural factors that influence green consumer behavior has therefore become increasingly important. While previous studies have explored the effects of environmental awareness and concern on green purchasing, the roles of self-concept consistency and cultural differences remain underexamined. To address this gap, the present study investigates how Environmental Awareness (EA), Environmental Concern (EC), and Self-Concept Consistency (SCC) influence green purchase intentions, and whether these relationships vary across cultural contexts. A cross-cultural comparison between Italy and Turkey was conducted, as these countries share a Mediterranean cultural background but differ in socio-cultural and political characteristics, providing a meaningful setting to examine potential variations. Insights from this study are expected to contribute to the development of culturally sensitive environmental campaigns and sustainable consumption strategies, ultimately supporting more effective promotion of eco-friendly consumer behavior across diverse populations. Based on this aim, a research model was developed, and ten hypotheses were formulated, examining the effects of Environmental Awareness, Environmental Concern, and Self-Concept Consistency on green purchase intentions, as well as potential differences between participants from Italy and Turkey. These hypotheses were tested using SPSS 25.0 and LISREL 9.30. As environmental challenges intensify, sustainable development has become a key focus in academia and business (Pontieri et al., 2021). Understanding the drivers of pro-environmental behaviors—actions that protect ecosystems and promote a livable environment—is essential (Kollmuss & Agyeman, 2002; Stern, 2000).