Factors Influencing Green Purchasing Behaviors: Some Insights from Tamale, Ghana

Green purchasing can reduce negative environmental impacts as well as promote sustainable development. As related literature from the African context is limited, this paper tries to bridge the gap by investigating the green purchasing behaviors of residents in the Tamale Metropolitan area of Ghana. The theory of planned behavior (TPB) served as a theoretical framework for identifying the main antecedents of green purchasing behavior. Standard and hierarchical regression techniques are used to analyze data gathered from 325 residents of the city. The results indicates that the TPB variables explained 44.4% of the variance in green purchasing intentions, but only 13.2% of the intentions are translated into actual behavior. Academically, this study has provided further evidence for the application of the theory of planned behavior in explaining environmentally responsible purchasing behaviors. Practically, this study has enhanced understanding of the antecedents of green purchasing behaviors among the urban residents and has also provided useful information which could aid in crafting suitable policies for a transition towards more sustainable consumption patterns in a developing country.