Green Marketing and Consumer Purchasing Behavior: A Systematic Literature Review through the Lens of Behavioral Economics

Abstract

In today’s world, where environmental awareness and sustainable consumption are becoming global priorities, green marketing plays a vital role in influencing consumer behavior and business strategies. This paper discusses the relationship between green marketing and consumer purchasing behavior using a behavioral economics lens. A systematic literature review was used and followed the PRISMA guidelines in processing peer-reviewed studies published between 2015 and 2025, resulting in a review of 144 studies across 41 countries. Relevant studies were gathered from Google Scholar and Mendeley databases. Results established that altruism, trust, knowledge and socially constructed norms have a stronger impact on the green purchasing decision than price and convenience. Nudge Theory has proven sufficient by recognizing the role of labeling of the environment, default options, and open communication convention to develop sustainable decisions. Generally, eco-branding, eco-packaging, and eco-labeling increase consumer loyalty and reduce the attitude-behavioral gap, indicating that the behavioral information may support the maintenance of sustainable consumption behavior and increase competitiveness of firms. Overall, the findings emphasize that understanding behavioral motivations through green marketing can contribute to achieving sustainable consumer practices and environmental protection worldwide.