Consumers’ purchasing intentions for environmentally sustainable fashion in Saudi Arabia

It has been demonstrated that many environmental issues associated with the fashion industry are generated in some way or another by consumer purchasing behaviour. The Saudi government seeks marketing strategies that promote environmentally sustainable marketing and encourages sustainable consumerism within its new Vision 2030 and more importantly, its ongoing economic and development investment (Al-Surf & Mostafa 2017). In addition, a significant proportion of research on consumer purchasing behaviour has been conducted in developed and developing countries, relying heavily on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). However, context-specific variables regarding cultural values have not been adequately examined. Based on the literature review conducted for this study, there is a lack of understanding of the factors that influence Saudi consumer purchase behaviour to purchase environmentally sustainable fashion in Saudi Arabia. In response, the aim of this study is to determine key factors that influence purchase behaviour for purchase intention environmentally sustainable fashion among Saudi consumers in light of TPB. The study focuses on identifying the impact of TPB variables which include attitudes toward environmentally sustainable fashion, subjective norms, and Perceived Behavioural Control (PBC); in addition, the impact of environmental concern and environmental knowledge will be investigated consumers. More specifically, the study examines the impact of Saudi Cultural Values (Power Distance, Masculinity, Collectivism, Uncertainty Avoidance and Long-Term Orientation) on Saudi consumer behaviour. As a result of this study, the TPB is extended and modified in order to incorporate environmental concern, environmental knowledge, and cultural values of consumers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Following the literature review, a theoretical framework is developed, and mixed methods research is employed. This study provides a theoretical framework to examine consumer purchase intention for environmentally sustainable fashion. Data collection was undertaken using a mixed methods approach, consisting of two stages: survey and semi-structured interviews. This study used the complementarity mixed method approach, which illustrates the results, from one method to another. This approach is appropriate, since the final step is to conduct semi-structured interviews. The first step employs quantitative research in the form of an online survey, whereas the second step employs qualitative research conducting semi-structured interviews. The complementary mixed methods approach is a response to the limitations of survey-only research, which needs more detailed explanation in order to make sense of the quantitative data, as well as providing greater insights into the research construct by exploring participants’ views in depth. The research sample in this study is Saudi women, self-identifying as interested and involved in fashion goods/products purchasing. Furthermore, the sample population is over the age of 18 and recruited from different regions of Saudi Arabia. The necessity for participants to be female adults was determined according to the purpose of the study, in order to focus exclusively on their opinions, as these women are more likely to have purchasing power and make their own buying decisions. At the close of the survey deadline, only Five hundred fifteen valid responses were received. Qualitative interview participants were drawn from a similar sample to those who completed the quantitative survey. After collecting survey data, a three-step approach was used to analyse the data:  first, preliminary analysis was conducted that consisted of data screening; second, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was undertaken to determine whether the indicators would be appropriate for structural equation analysis; third, structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to investigate the measurement model and path model using SmartPLS 3.3 software. CFA was used to measure the model fit and discriminant validity. A path model was used to check validity of hypotheses. In-depth semi-structured interviews with 16 participant consumers were undertaken in order to obtain additional data for qualitative analysis. Based on the study's quantitative findings, it was found that consumers' environmental attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control, cultural values of long-term orientation and uncertainty avoidance have a significant impact on Saudi women consumers' purchase intentions. In the current analysis, environmental attitude is the most influential factor that affects Saudi consumers' intentions to purchase environmentally sustainable fashion products Environmental concerns and environmental knowledge did not seem to influence Saudi consumers' purchase intentions for environmentally sustainable fashion. This is due to a lack of consumer awareness or knowledge about environmental issues.  Furthermore, Saudi consumers' intentions to purchase sustainable fashion are not significantly affected by cultural values such as power distance, masculinity, and collectivism. This qualitative study provided insights into the factors influencing Saudi women's intentions. The limited and varying results of this study indicate that Saudi consumers do not have a strong attitude toward environmentally sustainable fashion. This may be due to the participants' lack of environmental knowledge. It was found that Saudi Arabian culture was predominantly conservative, but it was also open to cultures from other countries. It is important to note that Islamic beliefs play an integral role in Saudi purchasing behaviour, particularly when it comes to clothing. Due to Saudi Arabia's high level of collectivism, the Islamic community plays an important role in clothing decisions. Based on current government regulations, consumers in Saudi Arabia seek to avoid uncertainty as much as possible, which influences their purchase decisions. In Saudi Arabia, there is a high level of masculinity and power distance. Thus, Saudis tend to purchase high-status brands and brand products to display their wealth. Further, a lack of long-term orientation can explain Saudis' high level of consumption and low priority for savings. The study provides marketers and administrators with a practical tool for gaining a deeper understanding of consumer behaviour, which will assist them in developing more effective strategies to attract prospective customers, particularly those who tend to purchase environmentally sustainable products. Considering the findings of this study from a management perspective, they provide insights into how consumers decide to purchase environmentally sustainable fashion and how to support sustainable retailers, brands, and policymakers in moving toward a more sustainable fashion system. Considering the findings of this study from a management perspective, they provide insights into how consumers decide to purchase environmentally sustainable fashion and how to support sustainable retailers, brands, and policymakers in moving toward a more sustainable fashion system. Fashion retailers and brands should prioritize sustainability in their selection of designs and products in a way that promotes consumers' attitudes and perceptions of the products they offer, as they are a crucial factor in generating positive intentions toward their products. It is possible to increase the perceived value of environmentally sustainable fashion products among consumers by explaining the benefits of such products for people and the environment. There is a lack of awareness among consumers regarding the negative environmental impact of the fashion industry. It is also crucial to communicate effectively in order to market environmentally sustainable fashion products. Consumers who are educated about sustainable and environmentally friendly production methods may also be able to find a balance between price and environmental protection by understanding and valuing the aspects that raise prices. In order to make sustainable fashion products more accessible, retailers should increase their online presence, and locate their physical stores in close proximity to regular clothing retailers, so they can communicate clearly about their sustainability offerings and offer greater differentiation over mainstream fashion products. Through the use of the research developed model, businesses can gain a better understanding of consumer purchasing intentions when purchasing apparel products; accordingly, they will be able to modify their marketing strategies as well as their products accordingly. Further research is needed to examine the relationship between additional variables such as Islamic religious value, social media and price toward purchase intention in quantitative data. Surveys could be used to test the statistical significance of the relationship.