A Study Analyzing the Green Retail Patronage Behaviour of Shoppers

With growing awareness regarding the threat of global warming, environmental consciousness is at an all-time high. This green concern is also being manifested in the retail sector. As retailing is an energy intensive activity ranging from storage, distribution, packaging to store operations, it has its contribution to global warming, waste, carbon emissions, landfill and pollution. A greener approach to retailing or adopting green retailing practices of less polluting and more resource-efficient can help in promoting sustainability in retailing. A number of stores have decorated their outlets with eco-friendly displays and fittings, while others have displayed about the lowest possible carbon footprint for the products and processes of their firm. Some fashion retailers lay emphasis on their 100% organic or recycled materials or how to use them in an eco-friendly manner. Others are contributing by conducting recycling programs to encourage consumers to return items of clothing that they no longer use. All these green initiatives taken up by retailers have an impact on customer's perception and their inclination for certain stores over others. This paper is an attempt to explore whether these customers consider the green initiatives of retailers as more socially responsible than the ones who do not undertake such activities and claims. Do customers have trust in claims of the retailers who promote their environmental sustainability? At the same time, the undertaken study aims at examining the influence of greeninitiatives of retailers on customer preferences.This empirical study is based on quantitative approach for the target population of shoppers visiting various stores at the malls in the city of Mumbai. This study takes a sample of 506 respondents for generalizing about the population. To conclude the results of the study, various statistical tools are used for the analysis of the data collected. A demographic variable like gender was used to analyze the perception of customers about the green retailer and their store patronage. This would help in assessing the strategic positioning of various stores and analyzing whether this preferences translates into repeat visits and higher patronage of the stores.