Development of a green consumer behaviour model Arminda do Paço 1 , Helena Alves 1 , Chris Shiel 2 and Walter Leal Filho 3 1 Department of Business and Economics, Research Unit NECE, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal 2 Centre for Global Perspectives, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK 3 Research and Transfer Centre Applications of Life Sciences, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Hamburg, Germany Keywords Green marketing, environmental concern, structural equation modelling, buying behaviour. Correspondence Arminda do Paço, Department of Business and Economics, Research Unit NECE, University of Beira Interior, Estrada do Sineiro, 6200-209 Covilhã, Portugal. E-mail: apaco@ubi.pt doi: 10.1111/ijcs.12009 Abstract Research on the background of green behaviour has indicated that the relationship between its antecedents and behavioural consequences is complex and constitutes a challenge for both academics and marketers. Thus, this study aims to explore the link between environ- mental values, attitudes and behaviours, as well as to develop and test a model that could be valid and applicable to a set of consumers living in different countries. The research examines the perceptions of a sample of 1175 consumers from England, Germany, Portugal and Spain. A model was developed to test the relationships between concepts such as man–nature orientation, generativity, environmental concern, conserving behaviour and environmentally friendly buying behaviour. Structural equation modelling was performed to assess the significance of those linkages. The results obtained confirm the relationship between attitudes and behaviours as the construct conserving behaviour appears to influ- ence buying behaviour, and suggests some measures which may be implemented in simultaneously testing education concepts across audiences in different countries. Introduction Environmental concerns (ECs) are an increasingly important topic for both business and academia. In relation to the latter, several studies have attempted to identify the characteristics of green consumers and the related marketing implications (e.g. Sch- legelmilch et al., 1996; Lee, 2008; Pickett-Baker and Ozaki, 2008; Paço and Raposo, 2009). However, Essoussi and Linton (2010) state that the process of buying green is still difficult to understand. It is mostly the case that consumers express a real concern for the environment, but their attitudes are not always translated into their purchasing behaviour. Further, attitudes in relation to concern for the environment have not been explicitly analysed and the rela- tionships between green attitudes and values and behaviour are still ambiguous. In looking at this issue, Lee (2009) suggests that, given the contradictory results suggested by the existing literature, further studies are required to confirm the link between environ- mental attitudes and behaviours; the focus should be reoriented to explore other possible variables, which could be better predictors of EC. The aim of this study is therefore to explore further the link between values, attitudes and behaviour. Some variables such as demographics, attitudes and intentions have been shown to be related to environmental behaviour. However, the majority of the models developed to date to test such relationships, reveal that there are further aspects to be explained. The intention of this study is to construct and test a model that could be valid and applicable to a set of consumers living in different countries and to investigate the strength of the relationship between values [iden- tified as man–nature orientation (MNO), generativity (GEN)], atti- tudes (EC) and behaviours [conservation behaviour (CB), environmental friendly buying behaviour (BB)] within an integra- tive proposal. In this research, ‘green or environmental marketing’ consists of all activities used to generate and facilitate any exchanges intended to satisfy human needs, such that the satisfaction of these needs occurs, with minimal damage to the natural environment. Accord- ing to Peattie and Charter (1997), it is more helpful to view green marketing as a concept that integrates and expands upon the ideas embedded in the ecological and societal marketing concepts. Regarding the ‘green consumer’, this is an individual who adopts attitudes and behaviours that are designed to minimize adverse effects on the environment (Banerjee et al., 1995) and who prac- tises sustainable consumption, minimizing the use of natural resources, toxic materials, emissions of waste and pollution, so as not to harm the needs of future generations (Kilbourne et al., 1997). This paper is structured as follows. It starts with a brief lit- erature review in which values, attitudes and behaviours are defined in the context of green marketing. Based on the theo- retical foundation, a proposal of a green consumer behaviour (GCB) model is presented. The research methodology section then follows describing how the research was conducted. Next, the results of the statistical analyses are presented with commen- tary. Finally, conclusions, limitations and implications are discussed. International Journal of Consumer Studies ISSN 1470-6423 International Journal of Consumer Studies 37 (2013) 414–421 © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd 414