What drives responsible consumption in collectivistic developing countries? An analysis of Vietnamese consumers' motivations with value–belief–norm theory

This study explores the motivations driving responsible consumption in Vietnam, a collectivistic and populous Asian developing country. Specifically, on the basis of value-belief-norm (VBN) theory, it focuses on the direct effects of personal values (biospheric, altruistic, and egoistic values) on green product purchase intent. The empirical collectivistic cultural context of Vietnam was utilized, with data collected from 806 consumers across 35 cities. The study reveals that biospheric values predominantly drive purchase intent for green products; however, the magnitude of egoistic values, particularly health concerns, varies significantly across product categories. Regarding altruistic values, they do not appear to be salient among Vietnamese consumers. Additionally, the environmental motive can act as a mediator between health motive and purchase intent. This indirect effect is particularly strong in the case of organic food. Based on these findings, the authors derive managerial and academic implications.