Exploring the Impact of the Green Marketing Mix on Environmental Attitudes and Purchase Intentions: Moderating Role of Environmental Knowledge in China’s Emerging Markets

Abstract

This study examines how the green marketing mix—comprising green product, price, place, and promotion—affects consumers’ environmental attitudes and green purchase intentions, incorporating environmental knowledge as a moderating factor, focusing on a sample of 334 environmentally conscious consumers from second- and third-tier cities in China. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the data collected through SPSS 24 and AMOS 26. The results indicate that green promotion, price, and place significantly influenced environmental attitude, while green products did not show a significant effect. Both green products and promotions positively affected green purchase intention, whereas price and place had no notable impact. Environmental attitude strongly influenced green purchase intention, emphasizing its critical role in shaping consumer behavior. Interestingly, higher levels of environmental knowledge weakened the link between environmental attitude and green purchase intention, potentially due to increased skepticism toward environmental claims and the onset of “green fatigue”. By analyzing data from consumers in China’s second- and third-tier cities, this study provides valuable insights into the unique dynamics of green consumer behavior in emerging markets, offering strategic guidance for companies to develop more effective and environmentally responsible marketing approaches. It offers insights for policymakers to promote a sustainable, eco-conscious society.

1. Introduction

The escalating global environmental challenges have necessitated significant shifts in individuals’ lifestyle choices, which, in turn, have transformed consumer purchasing behaviors [1]. People begin to show a more positive attitude towards green products or services [2,3]. From the point of view of the whole society, people all over the world are becoming more and more aware of the environment [4]. This improvement can be seen in the deliberate reduction in plastic consumption and the purchase of sustainable products to reduce carbon emissions by consumers [5,6]. The green marketing mix, particularly the 4Ps, has been shown to influence consumer behavior through multiple pathways, including enhancing environmental attitudes and promoting sustainable consumption intentions [7,8]. This study employs the theory of planned behavior (TPB) while acknowledging its theoretical foundation in the theory of reasoned action (TRA). TRA postulates that behavioral intentions are primarily determined by attitudes toward the behavior and subjective norms. TPB extends this framework by incorporating perceived behavioral control, which accounts for factors that may facilitate or impede behavior execution [7]. This study builds on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and the theory of reasoned action (TRA), emphasizing how the green marketing mix—encompassing product, price, place, and promotion—aligns with attitudes, intentions, and perceived control to influence environmentally conscious consumer behavior.

Under the influence of this environment, how to influence and promote consumers’ green purchase intentions and environmental protection behavior has become an urgent problem that needs to be solved. Purchase intention refers to the consumer’s choice of purchase priority before purchasing a product, which shows the consumer’s intention to purchase a product [9]. Green purchase intention is in the selection of products, and people are more inclined to choose more environmentally friendly goods. Buying intentions can benefit a consumer’s decision to buy a green product, and every time a consumer makes a purchase decision, the final decision affects a sustainable consumption pattern [10]. Then, in this case, the consumer’s environmental attitude becomes particularly important [11]. Environmental attitudes are a combination of beliefs, influences, and behavioral intentions in the face of environmental-related activities [12]. At the same time, the environmental attitude is also the degree of personal dedication and support in the face of environmental problems [13]. Environmental attitude also plays a vital role in forming green purchase intention. A more positive attitude toward the environment can enhance consumers’ preference for green products and make consumers pay more attention to the green attributes of products when purchasing [14]. At the same time, a higher level of environmental knowledge can help consumers better understand the value of green products and their positive impact on the environment [15]. Environmental knowledge includes the understanding of environmental problems and knowledge reserves. People with specific environmental knowledge are more active than others in taking environmental actions [16]. Environmental knowledge often influences people’s attitudes toward the environment, which in turn affects people’s behavior toward ecology or environmental responsibility [17]. Environmental knowledge can improve consumers’ acceptance of green marketing and their environmental attitude, which will affect their green purchase intention [18].

In influencing purchase intention, marketing means are indispensable, and social media marketing also influences consumers’ sustainable consumption behavior [19]. Green marketing generally involves the exchange of products and services through regular marketing activities that do not adversely affect the environment and will affect consumers to reduce the environmental impact of the activities [20,21]. The green marketing mix is similar to the conventional marketing mix in that it involves the product, price, promotion, and place of four aspects of the operation to attract consumer attention and purchase. A reasonable green marketing strategy can effectively promote the consumer’s green purchase intention [22]. Green marketing has created an opportunity to take environmental issues as a starting point through different forms of product innovation to make products greener. It also influences consumers to buy green products and protect the environment to guide enterprises’ positive development [23]. Therefore, the growing interest of marketing researchers also shows the importance of “integrating green marketing into modern business practices” [24].

Green marketing is critical to influencing key consumer behaviors, and the findings highlight its impact on various aspects of green consumer behavior, such as willingness to buy, advertising, brand loyalty, fairness, and innovation, which have a significant positive impact [25]. Enterprises use green marketing means to minimize the environmental impact while meeting consumers’ needs. Consumers are willing to buy green products; in this way, companies are also improving customer loyalty and brand reputation [26]. Putra AH, et al. in their studies referred to the idea of ‘Information Acquisition’, that is, if consumers have easy access to information about environmental sustainability and environmental protection, it can influence individual green behavior. By obtaining information about green products and environmental protection, consumers can make green product purchase behavior [27].

In response to escalating environmental concerns and evolving consumer behaviors, this study addresses a critical gap in existing literature by investigating the moderating role of environmental knowledge in shaping the relationship between green marketing strategies and consumer purchase intentions as follows:

(1)

To examine the impact of the green marketing mix on consumers’ environmental attitudes;

(2)

To evaluate the influence of the green marketing mix on consumers’ green purchase intentions;

(3)

To assess the relationship between consumers’ environmental attitudes and their green purchase intentions;

(4)

To analyze the moderating role of environmental knowledge in the relationship between environmental attitudes and green purchase intentions.

The findings aim to identify critical factors influencing green purchase intentions, enrich existing consumer behavior theories, and offer actionable insights for businesses and policymakers. For enterprises, the results guide optimizing product development and promotional strategies to enhance the competitiveness of green products. The study offers valuable evidence for policymakers to understand consumer preferences better, implement effective promotional measures, and foster a societal transition toward sustainable development. This study introduces environmental knowledge as a moderating variable, providing a novel perspective on how the green marketing mix influences purchase intention, particularly in the context of second- and third-tier cities in China. This focus addresses a gap in existing literature, which predominantly explores developed markets, and highlights the importance of green marketing in emerging economies with evolving consumer attitudes.

2. Theoretical Background and Hypothesis Development

Sahioun, Antoun et al. (2023) propose to raise consumers’ environmental awareness by educating them about environmental measures and products and positively influencing their attitudes towards purchasing these environmentally friendly products to increase consumer purchases of green products [28]. Popularizing the performance of green products for consumers will also make consumers willing to buy green products [29]. In addition, the establishment of a green corporate image also influences the purchase intention of consumers to maintain the environmental corporate image and daily environmental protection, which can attract consumers to understand the green brand and purchase intention [30]. However, de Oliveira Lima LA and others have a different view of the impact of green marketing on consumers’ purchasing intentions, arguing that green products are generally more expensive than ordinary products, so that is, consumers have environmental awareness, but because of the price problem, they are not willing to pay higher prices for green products; this is also green marketing we need to consider the issue [31].

2.1. Green Marketing Mix

Green marketing, also referred to as sustainable marketing, involves the management processes of identifying, predicting, and meeting customer and societal needs in a profitable and sustainable manner [32,33]. It encompasses strategies designed to address environmental or green issues, such as offering green products or services that enhance both consumer and social satisfaction [34]. Within the green marketing mix, products form its core, encompassing various elements like materials, production processes, and packaging. Green products are defined as those produced using non-toxic ingredients and environmental protection measures, certified by authorized institutions [35], and include strategies such as recycling, reusing, dematerialization, and reducing packaging materials [36]. Pricing also plays a pivotal role, as making green products affordable is essential for promoting sustainable consumption [37,38]. The concept of “green place” focuses on reducing carbon footprints through efficient logistics management and broadening market reach to move beyond niche audiences [39,40]. Finally, green promotion refers to delivering accurate information about environmentally friendly products through tools such as advertisements, social media, and corporate communications that emphasize the relationship between products, services, and environmental sustainability [39,41,42]. Collectively, these elements of the green marketing mix provide a foundation for exploring their impact on consumer attitudes and green purchase intentions in this study.

2.2. Green Marketing and Environment Attitude

Behavior can be defined as a brief analysis of everything based on cognitive, sensory, and behavioral data [43]. Traditionally, one’s attitude towards the environment has been towards either the environment itself or a part of it (such as air pollution) or protective measures (such as recycling) [44]. Attitudes to things like the environment are known as environmental attitudes and are often seen as respondents’ views on specific environmental issues [12]. Milfont and Duckitt define environmental behavior as a state of mind that monitors the level of consent or approval for environmental issues. These environmental issues include general attitudes towards the environment or the environment, as well as environmental attitudes towards specific topics [45]. Therefore, environmental attitudes can be defined as the characteristics of individuals over time. They will continue to pay attention to environmental problems and then take measures to protect the environment. In this case, environmental attitudes include environmental standards and environmental beliefs [46]. At the same time, it can also reflect a person’s view of environmental responsibility and responsibility [13].

Environmental awareness promotes the environmental friendliness of green products, their harmlessness to nature, their avoidance of harmful gas emissions, and their recyclability [47]. Consumer awareness of green products continues to increase, and the demand for green products is also growing. Green consumers use green products to protect the environment for the future. Empirical research shows that when a consumer is classified as a green consumer, his awareness and awareness of environmental issues will be higher [48]. In addition, green marketing activities can encourage enterprises’ green market behavior and positively impact consumer consumption of green products [49]. Putra, Aditya Halim Perdana Kusuma et al. investigate the influence of the green marketing mix on consumers’ environmental attitudes and purchasing behaviors, providing a comprehensive analysis of the interplay between marketing strategies and pro-environmental actions [27]. Based on the theoretical framework and prior empirical findings, the following hypotheses are proposed to explore the specific dimensions of the green marketing mix and their impacts on consumer attitudes and intentions:

H1: 

Green marketing mix positively influences environmental attitudes.

H1-1: 

Green products positively influence consumers’ environmental attitudes.

H1-2: 

Green pricing strategies positively influence consumers’ environmental attitudes.

H1-3: 

Green place strategies positively influence consumers’ environmental attitudes.

H1-4: 

Green promotion efforts positively influence consumers’ environmental attitudes.

2.3. Green Marketing and Green Purchase Intention

The intention to purchase can be expressed as the tendency to buy certain goods or services for an individual [9,50]. Green purchase intentions mean a person has the opportunity and readiness to purchase products with environmental attributes compared with other traditional products [51]. Similarly, Chen and Chang define green buying intent as consumers’ likelihood of buying a particular product because of their environmental needs [52]. When purchasing green products, green purchase intention is also regarded as a sign of behavior [53]. With the development of science and technology, water pollution, air pollution, and the loss of the ozone layer have negatively affected our environment. To avoid these harmful effects, there is now a growing awareness of the problem and a new approach [54].

The green marketing mix (green products, price, place, and promotion) depends mainly on intent to buy [55]. Consumers see green products as reducing their environmental impact through energy efficiency, processing, and organic and natural resources [56]. Once the product’s toxic element becomes one factor in influencing the purchase decision, the company will start to produce green products and implement the green product policy [10]. Green Price is the price related to environmental products. Because of the environmental characteristics of these products, they may be more expensive than ordinary products. Some customers are willing to pay more if they think the product adds value [57]. By providing reliable information, customers can gain a degree of trust. Consumers will tend to buy green products [58]. As a green marketing tool, various channels affect consumers’ emotions, provide a sense of security, let consumers trust products, and guide consumers to the intention to buy behavior [59]. The impact of green marketing strategies on green purchase intentions, particularly through the mediating role of green skepticism, offers valuable insights into how consumer perceptions shape environmentally conscious purchasing behaviors [60]. Building on the insights from these studies, the following hypotheses have been formulated to explore the relationship between green marketing strategies and green purchase intention:

H2: 

Green marketing mix positively influences green purchase intention.

H2-1: 

Green products positively influence green purchase intention.

H2-2: 

Green pricing strategies positively influence green purchase intention.

H2-3: 

Green place strategies positively influence green purchase intention.

H2-4: 

Green promotion efforts positively influence green purchase intention.

2.4. Environmental Attitude and Green Purchase Intention

The attitude of green purchase behavior is the cognition and emotional judgment of environmental protection goals [61]. Individual attitudes to the environment may influence the intention to buy green products, such as electric cars [62], hotels [63], and green tracksuits [64]. The theory of planned behavior has been applied and extended to examine the relationship between environmental attitudes and green purchase intentions, particularly in the context of developing nations, thereby enhancing the theoretical understanding of green consumer behavior [65]. Based on these insights, the following hypothesis is proposed:

H3: 

Environmental attitudes positively influence green purchase intentions.

2.5. The Moderating Role of Environmental Knowledge

Knowledge generally refers to an individual’s understanding and perception of a concept, in this case, environmentalism [9]. Environmental knowledge refers to the consumer’s understanding of the environment. Understanding eco-labels and symbols, understanding how human activities affect the environment, and taking collective responsibility for sustainable development purposes [66]. Environmental knowledge is important for creating environmental behaviors because individuals must know what to do. Therefore, environmental knowledge is the necessary intellectual condition for implementing environmental behavior [67]. In the traditional sense, environmental knowledge includes knowledge about the ecosystem’s nature, function, and structure [68,69]. Ecologically intelligent consumer behavior is related to consumer activities, and compared with other activities, consumer activities are less harmful or beneficial to the environment. Thus, the purchase, use, and transport of goods or products by consumers is based on the central theme of sustainable consumption, namely the economic role of the selection, use, and transport of goods and services and how to adapt these services to benefit society and the environment [17].

Environmental knowledge reveals how individuals understand their responsibilities to the environment, which leads to their behavior in the environment [9]. In theory, customer understanding of the environment is fundamental to cultivating environmental awareness and high-quality green purchasing decisions [16]. Environmental knowledge is also an indicator of everyone’s social and environmental sustainability, an attitude that provides an interest in buying green products [70]. Compared with other environmental factors, environmental knowledge is essential for purchasing green products. Consumers also consider the perceived risks of being green, and their environmental knowledge makes them willing to buy green products [71]. Some studies show a positive correlation between environmental knowledge and green purchase intention [72,73]. The moderating role of environmental knowledge in the relationship between product knowledge and green purchase intentions highlights the critical importance of consumer awareness in fostering sustainable consumption [74]. Drawing on these findings, the following hypothesis is proposed:

H4: 

Environmental knowledge moderates the relationship between environmental attitudes and green purchase intentions.

Based on the theoretical background and research objectives outlined above, the following research model is proposed, as shown in Figure 1.

3. Methods

3.1. Sample and Data Collection

Data for this study were collected through online and offline surveys to obtain a diverse and representative sample of environmentally conscious consumers from second- and third-tier cities, specifically Jining, Liaocheng, Heze, and Zibo. To minimize potential biases and enhance response authenticity, all participants were assured of strict anonymity and confidentiality, reducing the likelihood of social desirability bias. Selection criteria focused on individuals with a demonstrable interest in environmental sustainability, such as previous participation in green initiatives or a history of purchasing eco-friendly products. Data collection occurred in June 2024, combining online and offline channels to accommodate varying accessibility and preferences among respondents. The survey instrument was carefully designed to evaluate the four dimensions of the green marketing mix (green product, green price, green place, and green promotion) and targeted individuals actively engaged in environmental issues and sustainable practices. Respondents were thoroughly briefed on the study’s purpose and the importance of their contributions to understanding the factors influencing green purchase intentions. By integrating diverse collection methods and focusing on environmentally conscious consumers, the study ensured robust, reliable data, providing a solid foundation for subsequent analysis and enhancing the validity of the findings. Out of a total of 413 responses, 334 valid responses were retained for further analysis, as summarized in

Table 1. Sample profile.

Items	Classification	Frequency (n = 334)	%
Gender	Male	185	55.4
	Female	149	44.6
Age	18–21	63	18.9
	22–25	41	12.3
	26–30	20	6.0
	31–40	36	10.8
	41–50	67	20.1
	50 and above	107	32.0
Education	High school	28	8.4
	Technical Secondary School and Junior College	119	35.6
	Bachelor	154	46.1
	Master	29	8.7
	Doctor	4	1.2
Marital status	Single	120	35.9
	Married	214	64.1
Income (monthly)	RMB 0–1000	54	16.2
	RMB 1001–3000	35	10.5
	RMB 3001–5000	70	21.0
	RMB 5001–10,000	119	35.6
	RMB Above 10,000	56	16.8

. The sample comprised 55.4% male and 44.6% female respondents, with over 56% holding a college degree or higher. Additionally, 62.9% of the respondents were over 30 years old, and 73.4% reported a monthly income exceeding RMB 3000. The sample was characterized by a high level of environmental awareness and purchasing power, ensuring that the findings are highly relevant for analyzing green consumer behavior.

3.2. Measures

Green Marketing Mix: Sustainable marketing focuses on environmental or green issues by providing environmentally friendly products or services that create consumer and social satisfaction [34]. And to identify, predict, and meet the needs of customers and society profitably and sustainably in the overall management process [33]. This article measured the green marketing mix using 14 projects from Ahmed et al. (2023) [75] and Bailey, Mishra, and Tiamiyu (2018) et al. [76]. A 5-point response scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). The sample item on the scale is “A green product or service is a solution to an environmental problem”. “An improvement in the performance of a green product or service justifies its price”.

Environmental Knowledge: Refers to the consumer’s understanding of the environment, which includes the understanding of ecological symbols, the impact of human activities on the environment, and the individual should take measures to protect the environment [66]. Environmental knowledge was measured using the 5-item scale developed by Mostafa (2007) [77] and Ellen, Eroglu, and Webb (1997) [78], with the 5-point response scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). One example project is, “I will learn that the product and packaging are environmentally safe before I buy the product”.

Environmental Attitude: Attitudes to things like the environment are called environmental attitudes. Over time, people’s perceptions of specific environmental issues and whether they continue to pay attention to them and will take action when problems arise [12,46]. This study was measured with the akhara (2014) [79]. The environmental attitudes scale consists of 6 items, and a 5-point response scale ranges from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). One example project is, “If I understand that certain products can be potentially harmful to the environment, then I will not continue to focus on these products”.

Green Purchase Intention: Green purchase intention indicates that a person intends to choose a more environmentally friendly product when purchasing an item. At the same time, green purchase intention is also regarded as a symbol of behavior when purchasing a green product [51,53]. In this study, green purchase intent was measured using a response scale of 5 items with 5 points using Laheri et al. (2024) [80] and Lavuri and Susanty (2020) [81] from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). An example project is, “I prefer to buy green goods even if they are slightly more expensive than other goods”.

The specific measurement items for the variables mentioned above are detailed in

Table 2. Measurement of variables.

Variable	Items	Source
GM 4Ps	PD1: The use of green products or services is one of the solutions to environmental problems PD2: I will try to use products that do not harm the environment PD3: I think green products or services are good for health PD4: I think the quality of green products or services is better	[75,76,82,83,84,85,86,87,88]
	PR1: I think the quality of green products or services is better PR2: A green product or service needs to be reasonably priced so that consumers are willing to buy it PR3: The price and quality of a green product or service are matched PR4: The improvement of green product or service performance shows that their price is reasonable
	PL1: I live in the area that will regularly provide green products or services PL2: Green products or services are readily available near where I live PL3: Green products or services are ubiquitous everywhere
	PM1: I tend to focus on advertising messages related to protecting the environment PM2: Green advertising can help consumers make smarter buying choices PM3: Green advertising can help consumers better understand the benefits of green products or services
EK	1: I will first understand the product and packaging is environmentally safe, and then buy products 2: I would like to know more about recycling 3: I know how to choose products and packaging that reduce the amount of trash that goes to the landfill 4: I understand the environmental terms and symbols on product packaging 5: I have some knowledge of environmental problems	[77,78]
EA	1: I would pay more attention to products with low contaminant content 2: If I knew that some products could be potentially harmful to the environment, then I would not continue to pay attention to these products 3: I try to keep my family or friends away from products that are harmful to the environment 4: I am concerned about the current environmental situation in the world 5: If a company that sells a product is engaging in environmentally irresponsible behavior, I will not be looking at that company 6: I try to minimize the use of plastic bags	[79]
GPI	1: Considering the future of environmental pollution, I will try to choose to buy green products 2: I would consider switching to a green brand on ecological issues 3: I prefer to buy green goods, even if the price is slightly higher than other goods 4: I prefer to buy green products 5: I prefer to switch from buying non-green products to buying green products	[80,81,89,90,91]

Notes: GM 4P= Green Marketing 4P, EK = environmental knowledge, EA = environmental attitude, GPI = green purchase intention.

.

4. Analyses and Results

4.1. Measurement Reliability and Validity Assessment

We conducted a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to evaluate the reliability and validity of our measurement model, specifically focusing on a four-factor structure to assess the perceptual constructs. The results of this analysis are detailed in

Table 3. Results of confirmatory factor analysis.

Variables	Estimate		S.E.	C.R.	AVE	CR
	β	B
PD4	0.779	1.000			0.534	0.819
PD3	0.798	0.791	0.054	14.771
PD2	0.739	0.877	0.065	13.584
PD1	0.587	0.888	0.084	10.528
PR4	0.822	1.000			0.525	0.812
PR3	0.649	0.632	0.050	12.659
PR2	0.589	0.517	0.046	11.228
PR1	0.809	0.932	0.055	16.985
PL3	0.784	1.000			0.753	0.901
PL2	0.913	1.019	0.054	18.819
PL1	0.901	0.952	0.051	18.644
PM3	0.901	1.000			0.783	0.915
PM2	0.917	1.206	0.047	25.924
PM1	0.835	1.113	0.052	21.257
EK5	0.826	1.000			0.662	0.907
EK4	0.773	1.153	0.071	16.247
EK3	0.847	1.071	0.057	18.772
EK2	0.838	0.981	0.054	18.326
EK1	0.782	0.961	0.064	15.117
EA6	0.796	1.000			0.634	0.912
EA5	0.769	0.835	0.054	15.495
EA4	0.721	0.916	0.064	14.281
EA3	0.829	0.970	0.057	17.098
EA2	0.863	0.914	0.059	15.581
EA1	0.792	0.863	0.054	16.100
GPI5	0.912	1.000			0.779	0.946
GPI4	0.889	1.026	0.040	25.507
GPI3	0.838	1.135	0.051	22.167
GPI2	0.868	0.884	0.037	23.969
GPI1	0.903	0.955	0.036	26.542
Model Summary	CMIN/DF = 2.271, p < 0.001, RMR = 0.023, CFI = 0.946, NFI = 0.907, TLI = 0.936, IFI = 0.946, RFI = 890, RMSEA = 0.062

Notes: S.E. = Standard Error, C.R. = Critical Ratio, AVE = Average Variance Extracted, CR = Composite Reliability, PD = green product, PR = green price. PL = green place, PM = green promotion, EK = environmental knowledge, EA = environmental attitude, GPI = green purchase intention, CMIN = Chi-square Minimum, DF = Degrees of Freedom, RMR = Root Mean Square Residual, CFI = Comparative Fit Index, NFI = Normed Fit Index, TLI = Tucker-Lewis Index, IFI = Incremental Fit Index, RFI = Relative Fit Index, RMSEA = Root Mean Square Error of Approximation.

. The model demonstrates a satisfactory fit with the data, as evidenced by the following fit indices: CMIN/DF = 2.271, p < 0.001, RMR = 0.023, CFI = 0.946, NFI = 0.907, TLI = 0.936, IFI = 0.946, RFI = 0.890, and RMSEA = 0.062. All factor loadings were highly significant (p < 0.001). The composite reliabilities for all constructs—green marketing 4Ps (green product = 0.819, green price = 0.812, green place = 0.901, green promotion = 0.915), environmental attitude = 0.912, environmental knowledge = 0.907, and green purchase intention = 0.946—exceeded the recommended threshold of 0.70, thereby confirming the reliability of the measures. Furthermore, the average variance extracted (AVE) for each construct exceeded the benchmark of 0.50, specifically: green product = 0.534, green price = 0.525, green place = 0.753, green promotion = 0.783, environmental attitude = 0.634, environmental knowledge = 0.662, and green purchase intention = 0.779, indicating adequate convergent validity. To assess discriminant validity, we employed Fornell and Larcker’s (1981) [92] criterion, ensuring that the shared variance between each pair of constructs was lower than the AVE for each construct. This analysis further substantiates the discriminant validity of the measurement model.

4.2. Hypothesis Testing

The basic descriptive statistics and correlations of the variables are presented in

Table 4. Mean, standard deviations, and correlations.

Variables	Mean	S.D.	Gender	Age	PD	PR	PL	PM	EK	EA	GPI
Gender	1.45	0.498	1
Age	3.97	1.934	0.182 **	1
PD	4.6781	0.48869	0.024	0.151 **	1
PR	4.6078	0.49697	0.024	0.025	0.722 **	1
PL	4.2675	0.78630	−0.045	−0.242 **	0.428 **	0.604 **	1
PM	4.4271	0.67550	−0.033	−0.123 *	0.588 **	0.696 **	0.694 **	1
EK	4.3162	0.68228	−0.088	−0.239 **	0.462 **	0.610 **	0.741 **	0.733 **	1
EA	4.5544	0.55175	0.012	−0.019	0.555 **	0.641 **	0.606 **	0.664 **	0.764 **	1
GPI	4.5641	0.59054	0.038	−0.017	0.614 **	0.645 **	0.573 **	0.695 **	0.737 **	0.821 **	1

Notes: * p < 0.05; ** p < 0.01. S.D. = Standard Deviation, PD = green product, PR = green price, PL = green place, PM = green promotion, EK = environmental knowledge, EA = environmental attitude, GPI = green purchase intention.

. As expected, all independent variables show significant correlations with their respective dependent variables. The mean for gender (Mean = 1.45, S.D. = 0.498) indicates that males slightly outnumber females in the sample, with a relatively balanced distribution. The mean for age (Mean = 3.97, S.D. = 1.934) shows that most respondents fall in the 31–40 age range, while the wide standard deviation reflects diverse age groups. Correlation analysis reveals no significant relationship between gender and other variables (e.g., green place [PL], r = −0.045). However, negative correlations between age and variables such as green place (PL, r = −0.242) and environmental knowledge (EK, r = −0.239) suggest that older respondents may rate these aspects slightly lower. Specifically, the green marketing 4Ps—green product, green price, green place, and green promotion—are significantly correlated with both environmental attitude (r = 0.555, p < 0.05; r = 0.641, p < 0.05; r = 0.606, p < 0.05; r = 0.664, p < 0.05, respectively) and green purchase intention (r = 0.614, p < 0.05; r = 0.645, p < 0.05; r = 0.573, p < 0.05; r = 0.695, p < 0.05, respectively). Furthermore, environmental attitude exhibits a strong and significant correlation with green purchase intention (r = 0.821, p < 0.05). These correlations provide a robust foundation for the subsequent hypothesis testing and underscore the interconnectedness of the variables under study.

The structural model, with a satisfactory fit as indicated by the following fit indices: CMIN/DF = 2.261, p < 0.001, RMR = 0.021, GFI = 0.893, CFI = 0.959, TLI = 0.951, IFI = 0.959, NFI = 0.929, RFI = 0.916, and RMSEA = 0.062, confirms the adequacy of the model. The impact of the green marketing 4Ps (green product, green price, green place, green promotion) on environmental attitude and green purchase intention among employees in Chinese enterprises was evaluated through a regression analysis. The results, summarized in

Table 5. Verification results of hypothesis 1 to hypothesis 5.

Hypothesized Path	Estimate	S.E.	C.R.	Result
H1-1. GPD → EA	0.149	0.090	1.664	Rejected
H1-2. GPM → EA	0.208	0.070	2.952 **	Supported
H1-3. GPL → EA	0.167	0.047	3.561 ***	Supported
H1-4. GPR → EA	0.298	0.089	3.346 ***	Supported
H2-1. GPD → GPI	0.320	0.079	4.067 ***	Supported
H2-2. GPM → GPI	0.211	0.061	3.452 ***	Supported
H2-3. GPL → GPI	−0.024	0.040	−0.605	Rejected
H2-4. GPR → GPI	−0.173	0.079	−2.194 **	Rejected
H3. EA → GPI	0.714	0.071	10.044 ***	Supported
Model Summary	CMIN/DF = 2.261, p < 0.001, RMR = 0.021, GFI = 0.893, CFI = 0.959, TLI = 0.951, IFI = 0.959, NFI = 0.929, RFI = 0.916, RMSEA = 0.062

Notes: ** p < 0.05; *** p < 0.01. S.E. = Standard Error, C.R. = Critical Ratio, GPD = green product, EA = environmental attitude, GPM = green promotion, GPL = green place, GPR = green price, GPI = green purchase intention, CMIN = Chi-square Minimum, DF = Degrees of Freedom, RMR = Root Mean Square Residual, GFI = Goodness of Fit Index, CFI = Comparative Fit Index, TLI = Tucker-Lewis Index, IFI = Incremental Fit Index, NFI = Normed Fit Index, RFI = Relative Fit Index, RMSEA = Root Mean Square Error of Approximation.

, underscore the significant influence of the green marketing 4Ps on environmental attitudes and purchase intentions. Figure 2 provides a visual representation of these relationships in the form of a path diagram, highlighting the hypotheses verification results.

The findings indicate that green promotion (β = 0.208, t = 2.952, p < 0.01), green place (β = 0.167, t = 3.561, p < 0.001), and green price (β = 0.298, t = 3.346, p < 0.001) all have a positive and significant impact on environmental attitude, thereby providing strong support for Hypotheses 1-2, 1-3, and 1-4. However, green products did not significantly affect environmental attitude, leading to the rejection of Hypothesis 1-1. In terms of green purchase intention, green products (β = 0.320, t = 4.067, p < 0.001) and green promotion (β = 0.211, t = 3.452, p < 0.001) demonstrated a positive and significant impact, confirming their influence. However, green place did not show a significant effect, and green price (β = −0.173, t = −2.194, p < 0.01) negatively and significantly impacted green purchase intention. Consequently, Hypotheses 2-3 and 2-4 are not supported. Furthermore, environmental attitude was found to have a positive and significant effect on green purchase intention (β = 0.714, t = 10.044, p < 0.001), thereby confirming Hypothesis 3.

To mitigate potential multicollinearity that may arise when constructing the interaction term (EAmc × EKmc), environmental attitude and environmental knowledge (EKmc) were mean-centered. This step is crucial in moderated regression analysis as it ensures the interaction effect is more precisely isolated, thereby improving the accuracy of the interpretation.

Table 6. The moderating effect of environmental knowledge.

Model		β	t	VIF
Model 1	Gender	0.030	0.940	1.035
	Age	−0.007	−0.204	1.035
	EAmc	0.821	26.171 ***	1.001
Model 2	Gender	0.048	1.566	1.044
	Age	0.059	1.847	1.162
	EAmc	0.588	12.268 ***	2.601
	EKmc	0.306	6.198 ***	2.763
Model 3	Gender	0.045	1.479	1.046
	Age	0.051	1.590	1.179
	EA	0.528	9.546 ***	3.501
	EKmc	0.320	6.456 ***	2.810
	EAmc × EKmc	−0.082	−2.140 **	1.664
Model		Model 1	Model 2	Model 3
R2		0.676	0.709	0.713
∆R2		0.673	0.706	0.709
F		229.009 ***	200.830 ***	163.327 ***

Notes: ** p < 0.05; *** p< 0.01. VIF = Variance Inflation Factor, EA = environmental attitude, mc= mean centering, EK = environmental knowledge.

above provides the results of a moderated regression analysis following the approach proposed by Baron and Kenny (1986) [93]. The study explores the moderating role of environmental knowledge on the relationship between environmental attitude and green purchase intention.

Model 1, which focuses on the direct effect of environmental attitude on green purchase intention, yields significant findings. It is revealed that environmental attitude has a substantial and positive effect on green purchase intention (β = 0.821, t = 26.171, p < 0.001), accounting for a significant 67.6% of the variance in green purchase intention (R² = 0.676).

Model 2, which introduces environmental knowledge as a moderating variable, brings to light its significant and positive influence on green purchase intention. Both environmental attitude (β = 0.588, t = 12.268, p < 0.001) and environmental knowledge (β = 0.306, t = 6.198, p < 0.001) significantly and positively influence green purchase intention. The model’s explanatory power is enhanced, with an R² value of 0.709, indicating that the inclusion of environmental knowledge contributes an additional 3.3% of the explained variance.

Model 3 introduces the interaction term between environmental attitude and environmental knowledge (EAmc × EKmc) to evaluate the moderating effect. The interaction term is statistically significant but negative (β = −0.082, t = −2.140, p < 0.05), indicating that environmental knowledge moderates the relationship between environmental attitude and green purchase intention. The R² increases to 0.713, suggesting a slight improvement in explanatory power upon including the interaction term.

These findings demonstrate that environmental knowledge significantly moderates the relationship between environmental attitude and green purchase intention. However, the negative interaction effect suggests that higher environmental knowledge might dampen the positive relationship between environmental attitude and green purchase intention. This outcome supports the hypothesized moderating effect, as articulated in Hypothesis 4.

5. Discussion

This study primarily investigates the impact of the green marketing mix (green product, green price, green place, and green promotion) on consumers’ green purchase intention and environmental attitude. Environmental knowledge is introduced as a moderating variable to further enhance the understanding of how environmental attitude influences green purchase intention. In this research, we propose and demonstrate that the green marketing mix can influence consumers’ green purchase intention.

Our first hypothesis, the green marketing mix, comprising four variables, revealed that appropriate green prices, more attractive green promotions, and more accessible green place arrangements positively impact consumers’ environmental attitudes. This finding not only aligns with but also reinforces the conclusions drawn by previous research conducted by Ramayah, Lee, and Mohamad [47], as well as Yang and Chai [49]. However, in our study, green products did not show a significant effect on consumers’ environmental attitudes. This could be attributed to the fact that the majority of our survey respondents were from second- and third-tier cities, where green products commonly encountered in daily life are mostly green agricultural products, resulting in a limited influence on their environmental attitude. These findings have significant implications for marketing strategies, particularly in second- and third-tier cities, where the influence of green products on environmental attitudes may be limited.

Second, our study found a robust positive relationship between the green marketing mix and consumers’ green purchase intention. Similarly to the first hypothesis, we employed four variables. Green products and green prices positively influenced consumers’ green purchase intention. Consumers are more willing to purchase green products when they are produced and carry low environmental risk. Furthermore, when consumers are more informed about green products, their likelihood of adopting them increases significantly. This finding aligns with the research of Almoussawi et al. [58]. However, the other two variables, green place and promotion, did not significantly affect consumers’ green purchase intention. The absence of a significant relationship between green places and green purchase intention has also been noted in previous research by Karunarathna et al. [10], where they suggest that the design of green places should consider consumers’ attitudes to create a belief in the green attributes of the place, which would lead to purchase intentions.

Third, environmental attitude positively influenced consumers’ green purchase intention. In this case, attitude is not a moderating factor in forming green purchase intention. As demonstrated in previous research by Phuah et al. [94], environmental attitude is a critical factor in consumers’ willingness to pay more for eco-friendly products. Similarly, Aremohzzabieh et al. [95] found that consumers with higher environmental awareness exhibit more positive attitudes when purchasing green products, which is consistent with our hypothesis. Regarding green promotion, our results did not reveal a significant influence on consumers’ green purchase intention. To further investigate, we conducted follow-up interviews with some survey respondents. From their perspective, the most common form of green promotion they encountered in their daily lives was limited to green agricultural products, and these products were typically sold with little promotional activity. Additionally, even when exposed to other forms of green product promotion, they tended to focus more on the practical value of the product itself. They preferred the more reasonably priced alternative if the green product had substitutes available.

Lastly, the phenomenon where higher environmental knowledge weakens the positive relationship between environmental attitude and green purchase intention can be explained by several consumer behavior factors. First, consumers with higher environmental knowledge tend to exhibit increased critical thinking, often becoming skeptical of corporate environmental claims [18]. This may lead to hesitation in purchasing green products if they are confident in their authenticity. Second, heightened knowledge can lead to awareness of the complexities and potentially unsustainable practices in green product supply chains, making consumers more cautious and reducing purchase intention [96]. Third, a greater understanding of alternatives may create confusion or indecision, dispersing purchase intention across various products and weakening environmental attitudes’ direct influence [97]. Lastly, frequent exposure to environmental messages can result in “green fatigue”, a pressing issue that reduces sensitivity to environmental issues and causes a gap between solid environmental attitudes and purchasing behavior [98]. Addressing this issue is urgent to maintain consumer interest in green products.

According to our research, environmental attitudes have an important impact on consumers’ purchase intention. According to the theory of planned behavior, the occurrence of behavior is influenced by intention, which is a structure formed by subjective norm, perceived behavior control, and attitude. The subjective norm consists of two aspects: the degree to which an important reference character supports or opposes an action and the intensity of a person’s motivation to obey the reference character’s desires [99]. Wang, Zhao, and Pan’s research has found that consumers are more likely to change their environmental attitudes if they are influenced by friends or social news reports, thus affecting their green purchase intention [100]. Individuals’ attitudes towards environmental sustainability may influence their perception of environmental interests, ethics, or ideas related to green products, and thus their decision to buy green products [27]. This is also consistent with our research.

5.1. Practical Implications

From a practical perspective, the findings of this study provide valuable insights for companies in developing product and promotion strategies. The research reveals that green products and green promotion have a significant positive impact on consumers’ green purchase intentions. In contrast, green price and place do not significantly influence purchase intentions. This suggests that although green price and place can enhance environmental attitudes, they alone are insufficient to drive purchasing behavior effectively. This further underscores the importance of improving the practical value and competitiveness of green products in specific market contexts. For example, most respondents in this study, primarily from second- and third-tier cities, typically encountered green products that were mostly agricultural goods, which had limited impact on environmental attitudes and failed to strongly motivate purchase intentions. However, green promotion positively shaped both environmental attitudes and purchase intentions, highlighting its role in aligning with consumer demands for practical and eco-friendly products.

The study also finds that environmental knowledge moderates the relationship between environmental attitudes and green purchase intentions. Specifically, higher levels of environmental knowledge enhance consumers’ understanding of green products but may also weaken purchase intentions due to information overload or skepticism about green certifications. This suggests that companies must build trust in green products through transparent product information and educational campaigns while avoiding “green fatigue”.

From corporate marketing and policy perspectives, this study underscores the importance of a multifaceted approach to advancing green consumption. While raising environmental awareness is vital, enhancing the perceived value of green products through practical measures is even more critical. Given the findings that green prices and green places have a limited impact on purchase intentions, businesses should re-evaluate their pricing strategies and channel designs to ensure green products are competitive with traditional alternatives in terms of functionality and affordability. Simultaneously, governments play a pivotal role in building a robust green consumption market by offering research and development subsidies, implementing stringent standards, and establishing reliable certification systems for green products. Such initiatives encourage companies to invest in environmentally friendly innovations and enhance consumer trust and confidence. By aligning corporate and policy efforts, this integrated approach supports the development of high-quality green products, fosters sustainable consumption patterns, and contributes significantly to the overarching goal of sustainable development. This study’s focus on the nuanced interplay between corporate strategies, consumer behavior, and policy interventions highlight its originality and practical relevance in addressing contemporary environmental challenges.

5.2. Limitations and Future Research Lines

This study has several limitations that highlight areas for future exploration. First, some findings diverge from initial hypotheses, suggesting that demographic factors such as region and income require more context-specific analysis. Additionally, this study primarily focused on the traditional 4Ps of the green marketing mix—product, price, place, and promotion. While this approach aligns with established frameworks, it excludes other dimensions, such as green human resource management (HRM) practices and corporate social responsibility (CSR) co-creation, which may also significantly influence green purchase intentions. For instance, cultural influences on environmental attitudes and green HRM practices have been shown to enhance environmental performance through green ambidexterity and responsible leadership, while CSR co-creation strategies, particularly in virtual environments, can impact consumer decision-making. Future studies could expand upon these broader dimensions to develop a more comprehensive understanding of green marketing’s role in fostering sustainable consumption.

Moreover, this study relies on cross-sectional self-reported data, which inherently limits the ability to establish causal relationships between variables and poses risks of social desirability bias. Furthermore, the demographic sample primarily consisted of respondents over 40 years old, potentially reducing the generalizability of the findings to younger generations, who may exhibit distinct green purchasing behaviors due to their openness to new technologies and higher disposable incomes. To address these limitations, future research could adopt longitudinal designs to capture dynamic changes in consumer behavior and employ advanced data collection methods, such as big data analytics and artificial intelligence, to enhance the accuracy of consumer behavior modeling and correct potential biases. Additionally, incorporating more diverse samples and integrating variables such as consumer psychology, legal frameworks, and regional differences could provide a more nuanced understanding of green purchase behavior. Comparative studies across different cultural or regional contexts and longitudinal analyses examining the vertical impact of green marketing on supply chain transitions could further offer valuable insights for enterprises to develop effective and sustainable marketing strategies.