Research published in the International Journal of Services and Standards has looked at the factors that driving brand loyalty around “green” products in Vietnam. The work by Truong Thi Hue and Pham Thi Thanh Hang of the Vietnam National University in Hanoi, and Tran Anh Phuong of Hanoi University of Industry, Vietnam, surveyed hundreds of consumers in depth and offers several insights into what makes consumers stick to such environmentally friendly electronic products. Given that environmental concerns play an important role in shaping consumer choices, the research highlights how businesses might tap into the growing demand for sustainable products.
The team explains that their research finds an important factor in consumer buying decisions – green perceived value. This is a measure of the benefits consumers believe they gain from a product’s environmental attributes. Indeed, this is the most important driver of purchasing decisions followed by “green trust,” or the confidence consumers place in a brand’s environmental claims.
Green perceived value and green trust function synergistically and can even outweigh conventional brand image and so change consumer behaviour. In other words, the researchers suggest, consumers are more likely to remain loyal to a green brand if they believe the product offers real value and if they trust that the company is genuinely committed to sustainability.
The findings are particularly poignant for businesses in the electronics sector like electronics, where consumers often place high importance on product quality and reliability. If environmental credibility is now becoming an important factor in buying decisions, those companies need to move quickly if they are to benefit. Those that do not adapt to the green demands of consumers will inevitably be left behind. Quality and brand remain important but sustainability and green credibility are overtaking those as more important for the modern consumer.
Hue, T.T., Phuong, T.A. and Hang, P.T.T. (2024) ‘A combined approach to explore the drivers of green brand loyalty’, Int. J. Services and Standards, Vol. 14, No. 3, pp.268–289.