Technological progress and industrialization drive economic development, enhancing people’s lives and improving their lifestyles. However, environmental protection is critical worldwide as modernization and economic growth advance (Ahmed et al, 2023). Components like waste, air pollution, and climate change have contributed globally to the degradation of the environment and, therefore, impacted people’s health and socio-status worldwide (Manisalidis et al, 2020). In particular, developed economies have been affected the most by over-production/consumption and inefficient implementation of natural resources. Therefore, in the recent decade, people worldwide have begun to care more about their environment (Funk et al, 2020). The market for environmentally friendly products has been growing positively worldwide and is expected to increase yearly (Salleh et al, 2010). One of the main reasons for these positive trends is that customers’ knowledge and interest in health and environmental protection is constantly increasing (Brÿiý-Stipÿeviý et al, 2013). Accordingly, one of the easiest ways for customers to reduce their negative impact on the environment would be to make appropriate purchasing decisions. Many studies have recommended that promoting knowledge and interest in environmentally friendly consumption would directly impact consumers’ purchasing decisions (Paul et al, 2016; Pinto de Moura et al, 2012). Sustainable development has thus become the focus of attention not only among consumers but also among businesses, not only because of mandatory environmental policies but also because of consumer pressure. Faced with the emergence of ecological consumption, companies have already begun to promote their brands and products with eco-labels and environmental marketing (Maichum et al, 2016).

Recent studies have shown that people’s environmental knowledge and positive attitudes toward environmental protection have increased over the past decade. People are willing to pay more for goods produced by companies that positively impact society and the environment. Nevertheless, the purchase rate of green products has declined recently (Clifford and Martin, 2011). Despite growing environmental awareness, people still need to buy more green products as hoped (Joshi and Rahman, 2015). A corresponding number of people are reluctant to buy green products because green campaigns are confusing, prices are high, and there is a lack of environmental awareness and knowledge (Maichum et al, 2016). Therefore, green product marketers must investigate the reasons behind people’s buying behavior. In this sense, this study’s main objective is to develop the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and understand the motivations of Kosovar consumers to purchase green clothing. This study integrates two of the most influential social psychological concepts (environmental awareness and decreased price sensitivity) to the TPB to analyze the psychological and external components that promote a green economy (Zhang and Luo, 2021).

The TPB is applied worldwide to analyze consumers’ motivations for their intentions and behavior. It is one of the most well-known social psychological theories describing purchase intention’s components and background. Therefore, this study utilized this theory.

Specifically, this study aims to analyze the components influencing consumers’ purchase intention regarding green clothing products in Kosovo and the relationship between the following variables: Attitude, subjective norms, environmental concern, and decreased price sensitivity. The paper is structured as follows: Section two describes green consumption in Kosovo and explains the study’s conceptual framework. Section three describes the origin of the data and variables and the research methods, and section four presents the results. Sections five and six provide the concluding remarks and contributions of the study. The final section identifies the study’s limitations and provides directions for future research.

We conducted data collection using a printed questionnaire survey. We derived the research framework, measurement items, and operational definitions from established hypotheses and prior studies. As detailed in Appendix Table 6, construct measurements were adopted from existing literature to ensure content validity. We conducted a pilot test with 40 participants to validate the measurement instruments. We used the feedback from this pilot test to revise the wording of the measurement items. Researchers solicited students and employees from the University of Pristina to volunteer for survey participation. They collected a total of 675 responses. After excluding repetitive and incomplete questionnaires, the final valid sample included 528 participants. We analyzed partial least squares using IBM SPSS version 18.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, Illinois, USA) and Smart Partial Least Squares (PLS) version 3.0 (SmartPLS GmbH, Hamburg, Germany) (Sarstedt et al, 2017).

Table 1 presents the participants’ demographic data to elucidate the characteristics of the sample. The sample comprised 57.4% female respondents and 42.6% male respondents. The age distribution indicated that most respondents (62.7%) were between 18 and 29 years old. Educational attainment varied, with the most significant proportion being college graduates (67.4%), followed by those holding a master’s degree or higher (21.8%). Regarding employment status, 19.3% of the respondents were employed full-time, 38.9% were employed part-time, and approximately 42% were unemployed. Additionally, there was a notable familiarity with green products among respondents, with 91% reporting that they had purchased them at least once in the past month.

This study aimed to determine whether consumers in Kosovo have attitudes and intentions to purchase green clothing and to examine the determinants that influence consumers’ intentions to purchase green clothing. Previous studies in the field of environmentally friendly products have primarily concentrated on organic foods, while researchers have given limited attention to environmentally friendly clothing (Chowdhury et al, 2021; Htar et al, 2022; von der Heidt et al, 2017). To the authors’ knowledge, no studies have examined green clothing in Kosovo. The authors aim to conduct this study to offer valuable insights to stakeholders, including marketers and policymakers.

The TPB was adopted in this study and extended by two factors, namely (environmental concern and price sensitivity). The study makes a significant contribution by developing a unique framework incorporating green contextual elements and using the constructs of TPB Ajzen (1991) as critical determinants of green consumer behavior in Kosovo. Our model explains 58.7% of the variance in consumers’ intention to buy green clothing. The results revealed that environmental concerns are crucial in shaping consumers’ attitudes and subjective norms toward green clothing products. However, the direct effect of price sensitivity and subjective norms on consumers’ intentions was not supported.

The study’s main contribution is that consumer concern for the environment significantly and positively affects subjective norms and attitudes toward green clothing. Consumers’ concern for the environment and their awareness of eco-friendly behaviors, such as buying green clothing, were the most decisive influences, followed by attitude, subjective norm, and decreased price sensitivity. Consumers who express concern for the environment should be the primary targets for marketing green products, as they demonstrate a favorable attitude toward purchasing these environmentally friendly options. When consumers have a positive attitude and care about the environment, they are more likely to make efforts to reduce their environmental impact (Chaudhary and Bisai, 2018; Ogiemwonyi et al, 2023; Singh and Gupta, 2013).

On the other hand, the results showed that the influence of environmental attitude on decreased price sensitivity was insignificant. Several studies show that people are willing to pay a high price for green products because they believe buying them can contribute to environmental protection (Cronin et al, 2011; Yue et al, 2020). On the other hand, some researchers argued that extremely price-sensitive customers are more inclined to buy certain products than others (Rihn et al, 2018; Zhao et al, 2021). This study reveals that environmental attitudes do not significantly reduce price sensitivity when consumers purchase green products. Despite a positive attitude towards green clothing, consumers in Kosovo remain unwilling to pay the higher prices associated with these environmentally friendly options compared to conventional products, which may have detrimental effects on the environment. The study found that a decrease in price sensitivity does not significantly influence the behavioral intentions of consumers in Kosovo to purchase green clothing. This finding suggests that Kosovar consumers prioritize the price of green clothing over its environmental benefits. Although respondents demonstrate a reasonable awareness of global warming, climate change, and the green movement, they are not willing to pay higher prices for green products despite holding positive attitudes toward environmental sustainability. Consequently, if consumers perceive the price of green clothing to be high relative to conventional products, they may choose not to purchase it and instead opt for non-green clothing.

The study identified that subjective norms do not significantly predict purchase intention. This finding aligns with the results reported by Kamalanon et al (2022) but contrasts with the conclusions drawn by Xu et al (2022) and Wongsaichia et al (2022). Previous research utilizing the TPB framework, as outlined by Ajzen (1991) and specifically within the context of green marketing, has often identified subjective norms as the weakest predictor in behavioral intention models. The present study supports this view, indicating that consumers perceive the approval of significant others as an inconsequential factor in their decision to purchase green clothing. Family, friends, and social influencers, including those on social media, do not exert sufficient positive influence to drive consumers toward purchasing green clothing.

However, similar to Taufique et al (2017), this study also uncovered that subjective norms significantly affect decreased price sensitivity. This finding is crucial as it suggests that while subjective norms may not directly influence the intention to purchase green clothing, they play an important indirect role by reducing price sensitivity. This reduction in price sensitivity mediates the relationship between subjective norms and the behavioral intention to buy green clothing. In other words, when consumers experience social pressure to engage in environmentally friendly behaviors, they become less sensitive to the higher prices of green products, which positively influences their intention to purchase green clothing.

This study has made a theoretical contribution to scientific research for several reasons. First, as noted earlier, numerous green product purchase intention studies have focused on organic foods. Limited research has focused on green clothing products, particularly in Kosovo. This study addresses this gap by investigating a topic that has yet to receive extensive examination in the existing literature.

Second, this study provides significant theoretical contributions by extending the TPB to environmental concerns and price sensitivity factors to understand green consumer behavior better, specifically in Kosovo’s green clothing context. The extended TPB model successfully explained 58.7% of the variance in consumers’ intentions to purchase green clothing, highlighting its robustness and relevance. Integrating environmental concern as a pivotal factor reinforces previous findings by researchers such as Chaudhary and Bisai (2018) and Ogiemwonyi et al (2023), who emphasized the importance of environmental attitudes in shaping consumer behavior.

Third, the study’s results challenge the traditional understanding of subjective norms within the TPB framework, typically regarded as a weak predictor of behavioral intention. While subjective norms did not directly predict purchase intention, their significant effect on decreasing price sensitivity adds a nuanced layer to the TPB model. This finding aligns with Taufique et al (2017), suggesting that subjective norms can indirectly influence purchase intentions by mitigating price concerns, thereby encouraging environmentally friendly purchasing behaviors.

Fourth, the study also brings forth an exciting contrast in the literature. While prior studies Xu et al (2022) and Wongsaichia et al (2022) found subjective norms to be significant predictors of purchase intention, our findings, consistent with Kamalanon et al (2022), highlight a context-specific divergence, suggesting that cultural or regional factors in Kosovo might dilute the direct influence of social pressures on purchase intentions. This observation necessitates further research to explore the contextual and cultural dynamics that affect the effectiveness of subjective norms in promoting green consumer behavior.

Finally, the acceleration of Kosovo’s green economic recovery is also a significant opportunity to capitalize on the momentum created by growing public awareness of environmental degradation in Kosovo. Therefore, this study’s results allow for conclusions and comparisons between Kosovar society and the populations of other countries previously examined for green clothing.

The study’s findings affect decision-makers and marketers in apparel companies that sell green clothing products. For green clothing products, direct consumer wellness benefits may be more difficult to discern than organic foods, where consumers may notice a significant difference in their health status. The benefits of green clothing products contribute to the well-being of various stakeholders. These benefits include environmental protection, which impacts society as a whole, and improvements in the well-being of garment factory workers involved in manufacturing. Marketing campaigns and promotional strategies should emphasize the environmental benefits of green clothing to resonate with this segment. Highlighting the positive environmental impact of green clothing can foster a stronger emotional connection and drive purchase behavior.

Additionally, the finding that subjective norms significantly affect price sensitivity reduction implies marketers should leverage social influence to mitigate price barriers. Marketing strategies should include endorsements from social influencers, community leaders, and environmental advocates who can effectively communicate the value of green products. By creating a perception of social approval and desirability around green clothing, marketers can reduce consumers’ price sensitivity and enhance their willingness to pay a premium.

Furthermore, the study reveals that despite consumers’ positive attitudes towards green products, high prices remain a significant barrier. This observation suggests that price remains a critical factor in consumer decision-making. Therefore, marketers should implement pricing strategies that enhance the competitiveness of green clothing relative to conventional products. These strategies may include offering discounts, bundling green products, or highlighting the long-term cost savings and superior quality associated with green clothing. Policymakers can also play a crucial role by providing incentives and subsidies for green products, thus lowering consumer price barriers. Educational campaigns to raise awareness about the environmental impact of clothing choices can further reinforce positive attitudes and subjective norms toward green consumption.

Finally, the study highlights the need for ongoing consumer education regarding the environmental benefits of green products. Educational initiatives that inform consumers about the impact of their purchasing decisions on the environment can enhance their environmental concerns and, subsequently, their purchasing behavior. Collaborative efforts between governments, NGOs, and businesses can create a more informed and environmentally conscious consumer base.

This work acknowledges certain limitations and provides suggestions for future research. The researchers employed a quantitative research approach to collect data via a survey. The researchers limited the number of questions to maintain participant attention throughout the survey. The fixed nature of survey questions and the restricted response range can hinder conducting a deeper and more detailed discussion. Therefore, the researchers recommend that future studies adopt a qualitative research approach, such as focus groups, to explore the most important or all selected determinants in greater depth. This approach would verify the findings of this study and uncover new valuable information.

Furthermore, the sample in this study represents Kosovar consumers in Pristina, excluding consumers’ perspectives from other cities and towns. Additionally, this research did not consider the influence of demographic factors. Future studies could address this gap by investigating the impact of demographic variables on green purchasing behavior. Lastly, future research could examine other factors contributing to the reported inconsistency in green purchasing behavior and identify the influence of relatively understudied factors such as perceived green image and green brand. This broader exploration could provide a more comprehensive understanding of the determinants influencing green consumer behavior.

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

JS, AD, and AK designed the research study. JS and AD performed the research. AD analyzed the data. All authors contributed to editorial changes in the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. All authors have participated sufficiently in the work and agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

This research received no external funding.

The authors declare no conflict of interest.