Understanding Sustainable Purchasing Behaviour Through the Marketing Mix: An Institutional Theory Perspective

Abstract

This study advances research on sustainable food consumption
and marketing strategies by applying institutional theory. Drawing
on the concepts of the institutional logic of sustainable development
and institutional legitimacy, the research provides new
insights into how societal values and institutional frameworks
may be reflected in sustainable marketing strategies and how
they are associated with purchasing behaviour. Based on data
collected through a questionnaire, the study finds that seven antecedents
– quality, packaging, willingness to pay, product availability,
effort, perceived information availability, and labelling –
are significant predictors of sustainable food purchasing behaviour.
Hence, the results offer a structured overview of which
consumer-perceived antecedents that firms may influence
through the marketing mix are most strongly associated with
sustainable purchasing decisions. By integrating institutional
theory with sustainability-focused marketing research, this study
interprets the findings through an institutional perspective and
highlights the importance of aligning marketing strategies with
societal values and institutional frameworks of post-transition
economies, and the critical role of pragmatic and culturalcognitive
legitimacy in relation to consumer trust and
sustainable purchasing decisions.