The Effect of Environmental Awareness on Consumers’ Attitude and Consumers’ Purchase Intention to Eco-friendly Products: A Study on Bachelor Students at Strategy First International College

Abstract

This study explores the influence of environmental awareness on consumers' attitudes and purchase intentions towards eco-friendly products among bachelor students at Strategy First International College in Myanmar. As the global problem of the environment continues to intensify, sustainable practices in terms of consumption—specifically among youths in the developing economies in Myanmar—should be understood. Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), the mediating influence of consumers' attitudes between environmental awareness and purchasing intentions is examined in this study. Based on stratified sampling, the quantitative survey included 199 participants from the business and computing fields. Analytical procedures included simple linear regression to test direct relationships and Hayes’ PROCESS Macro to conduct strong mediation analysis. The findings demonstrate that environmental awareness has a significant positive effect on attitudes towards green products, which in turn result in purchase intentions. While environmental awareness directly affects purchasing decisions, consumer attitudes are a significant partial mediator through which a great portion of its total effect is mediated. Most respondents indicated that environmentally friendly products would be purchased where males indicated being more likely than females. Environmental education in influencing sustainable practices emerges as essential from this study. It also highlights the potential among youths in shaping environmentally friendly consumption in Myanmar.

Keywords: Environmental Awareness; Myanmar; Consumers' Attitudes; Consumers’ Purchase Intentions; Eco-friendly Products.

Introduction

The increasing global focus on sustainability has significantly reshaped consumer behavior, compelling individuals, businesses, and policymakers to adopt eco-friendly solutions in response to environmental crises like climate change and pollution (Joshi & Rahman, 2015). Consequently, understanding how environmental consciousness influences attitudes and purchase intentions toward green products has become critical for fostering sustainable consumption.

Environmental awareness—defined as an individual’s knowledge of ecological issues and willingness to act (Kollmuss & Agyeman, 2002)—shapes consumer behavior by driving preferences for products designed to minimize environmental harm (Ottman et al., 2006). Businesses increasingly leverage this trend by highlighting sustainability in marketing, yet gaps persist between awareness and action. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) explains this dynamic: while attitudes, social norms, and perceived control predict intentions (Ajzen, 1991), barriers like cost, availability, and distrust of green claims often hinder actual purchases (Gleim et al., 2013).

Young consumers, particularly university students, are pivotal to advancing sustainable consumption. As future decision-makers, their behaviors signal broader societal shifts (Nguyen et al., 2017). Educational institutions play a key role in this process by integrating environmental education into curricula, fostering eco-consciousness that aligns with global sustainability goals (Cotton et al., 2007). In contemporary society, ecological consciousness has emerged as a crucial element of sustainable development and consumerism, particularly among youth. Such a trend is also evident at educational institutions, where curricula emphasize teaching a sense of eco-consciousness. Such a demographic is a strong force behind sustainable consumerism, emphasizing the necessity for curricula to include ecological consciousness for responsible purchasing behavior (Andrews et al.).

There has been an increased interest in consumer behavior convergence with environmental awareness, particularly with regard to sustainable consumption behavior. In Myanmar, private university students in Yangon exemplify this trend, demonstrating heightened sensitivity to environmental issues through academic campaigns and exposure to sustainable practices. However, economic constraints and limited access to green markets remain critical challenges (Oo, 2022). Despite growing awareness, research on young consumers in Myanmar is scarce, creating a gap this study addresses.

The impact of increased environmental awareness on purchasing behavior among students cannot be overestimated, especially among private university students in Yangon, Myanmar. With increased consciousness among students about environmental issues, their demand for eco-friendly products is increased, motivated by a sense of what their actions mean for themselves as well as for the planet. Research highlights that health concerns, product quality, and ethical considerations strongly influence purchasing intentions (Win, 2022), suggesting that environmental awareness alone is insufficient without addressing practical barriers.

This study investigates how environmental awareness shapes attitudes and purchase intentions toward eco-friendly products among bachelor students at Strategy First International College, Myanmar. The research will contribute to consumer behavior and sustainability marketing knowledge, particularly among students as consumers in higher learning institutions. The college’s emphasis on global citizenship and sustainability initiatives—such as waste reduction and eco-friendly operations—provides a unique setting to explore how institutional and educational factors interact with individual awareness. Bachelor students at Strategy First International College are a diverse group with varying degrees of exposure to sustainability efforts and environmental education, and as such, provide a helpful sample for examining the relationship among environmental awareness, consumer attitude, and purchasing intentions.

Using a quantitative survey approach, the study assesses students’ environmental awareness, attitudes, and purchase intentions. Understanding what motivates and discourages consumers' attitudes and purchase intentions will enable organizations to create more effective marketing campaigns and green products. Education institutions can also use these findings to create more effective environmental education programmes that encourage students' long-term pro-environmental behavior. Findings aim to inform strategies for bridging the attitude-behavior gap in sustainability marketing and education, with implications for emerging markets like Myanmar, where cultural and institutional contexts uniquely shape consumption patterns.