Green marketing innovation: opportunities from an environmental education analysis in young consumers

Abstract

As a society, we are aiming to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, and one of the most important challenges is fostering responsible production and consumption. Green marketing campaigns and instruction in university curricula are an opportunity to influence producers' and consumers' decision-making process in a positive way. This research aims to understand the instructional effects of non-compulsory university courses linked to sustainability and the circular economy (SCE) on students' motivations and behavior. We analyze students' proclivities to consume products and develop more sustainable habits before and after enrolling in SCE courses. Results confirm that the courses impacted students' propensities toward sustainable consumption. Therefore, the biggest changes in the six dimensions underlying green consumption reveal four key recommendations for developing a green marketing strategy. We recommend firms to 1) engage in green education, 2) create community, 3) be aware of consumer diversity, and 4) not differentiate by gender. For this reason, we argue that university education may greatly influence students' mindset concerning sustainable behavior. Results also revealed no significant gender differences, which contrasts with the differentiated behavior found in extant studies on older populations.