An innovation resistance theory perspective on purchase of eco-friendly cosmetics

What is it about?

This study investigates the reasons for consumer resistance towards purchase of eco-friendly cosmetic products using the innovation resistance theory. Thus we extend the theory by exploring the moderating roles of environmental concern and health concern. An online survey method was used to collect the data from 350 consumers through Amazon Mechanical Turk. The findings reveal that all the barriers are significant inhibitors towards adoption of eco-friendly cosmetic products. Among these barriers, tradition and image barriers have the strongest inhibitory force on consumers' purchase intentions. However, environmental concern among consumers indicates that the negative influence of value and image barriers reduce consumers’ intention to purchase eco-friendly items, while health concern reduces the influence of tradition and risk barriers. The study findings have far reaching implications for scholars, cosmetic manufacturers, and retailers.

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Why is it important?

• Investigates consumer resistance toward adoption of eco-friendly cosmetic products. • Innovation resistance theory is used as a theoretical lens. • Tradition barrier emerged as a strongest barrier among all barriers. • Environmental concern positively moderates value and image barriers relationship with purchase intention. • Health concern positively moderates risk and tradition barriers association with purchase intention.