Citation:

Zelika Nidya Damarani, Rista Nurdianasari, Shabira Maharani. "What Does ‘Green’ Mean to Consumers? A Qualitative Systematic Literature Review of Environmental Marketing Perceptions" International Research Journal of Economics and Management Studies, Vol. 5, No. 6, pp. 47-60, 2026. Crossref. http://doi.org/10.56472/25835238/IRJEMS-V5I6P105

Abstract:

The concept of ‘green’ as understood by consumers is neither uniform nor static: it is shaped by cognitive, emotional, social, and structural forces that vary significantly across cultural and demographic contexts. Despite the proliferation of green marketing strategies, a rigorous qualitative synthesis of how consumers define and respond to environmental marketing across divergent psychological profiles, cultural contexts, and trust conditions remains underexplored. This study presents a Qualitative Systematic Literature Review (SLR) following PRISMA guidelines, systematically analyzing 20 peer-reviewed studies (2020–2025) indexed in Scopus, SJR, Web of Science, DOAJ, and Inspec (SJR Quartile Q3 or above). Drawing on independent dual-coder thematic synthesis (Cohen’s κ = 0.82), five analytical themes were identified: (1) the Knowledge–Behavior Nexus and the paradox of green literacy; (2) affective pathways and the counter-intuitive power of negative emotional appeals; (3) the social construction of ‘green’ through cultural and normative determinants; (4) the trust–credibility nexus and greenwashing dynamics; and (5) structural drivers of the attitude–behavior gap. Critically synthesizing theoretical tensions across these themes, this study contributes: (a) a Multi-Dimensional Green Consumer Perception Framework integrating cognitive, affective, social, and structural layers; and (b) a Five-Profile Green Consumer Taxonomy (Knowledge-Critical, Emotion-Driven Altruist, Social Conformist, Habitual Sustainer, Intention-Blocked) that advances beyond attitudinal segmentation toward actionable behavioral profiling. The findings provide theoretical refinements of TPB, SOR, and Social Practice Theory within the green marketing domain.

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Keywords:

Environmental Marketing, Consumer Perceptions, Green Products, Systematic Literature Review, Green Purchase Behavior, Greenwashing, Attitude–Behavior Gap, Thematic Synthesis.