A new study sheds light on how consumers in emerging EU economies decide to make green purchases.
A recently published research article titled “The green dilemma: what drives consumers to green purchase intention in an emerging EU economy?”. In their study, researchers Ioana Sorina Andreica Mihut, Luigia‑Gabriela Sterie, and Daniel Mican explore the factors that motivate consumers in an emerging European Union country to intend to buy environmentally friendly (“green”) products. The paper appears in the journal Journal of Applied Economics (Vol. 28 Issue 1) with DOI 10.1080/15140326.2025.2536323.
Why it matters
As environmental issues such as climate change, resource scarcity and pollution climb higher on both public and corporate agendas, understanding what prompts individuals to choose green products is increasingly important. This is especially true in emerging economies, where growth pressures, infrastructure gaps and consumer behaviour may differ from more mature markets. The authors address the so-called “green dilemma” — the gap between wanting to be environmentally friendly and actually acting on that intention.
Key findings
Here are the main take-aways from the research, explained in everyday terms:
The study investigates green purchase intention (that is, the consumer’s plan or willingness to buy eco-friendly products) and what affects it.
It shows that some of the important drivers include green orientation (how much a consumer personally values environmental protection), environmental concerns (how worried they are about the planet), and other factors like social influences, price perceptions and trust in green claims.
In an emerging EU economy context (the study’s sample), these drivers play out in specific ways: for example, even if people care about the environment, practical constraints (cost, availability, perceived effectiveness) may hinder their green purchase intention.
The authors emphasise that simply raising awareness of environmental issues is not enough — companies and policy-makers need to address the practical and psychological hurdles that stand between concern and action.
Implications for business and policy
For companies:
- Branding a product as “green” can help, but only if consumers believe the green claims—trust is key.
- Pricing, promotion and accessibility matter. If green products cost much more, or are hard to find, consumer intention may drop.
- Marketing should appeal not just to a sense of duty, but also to personal values, social norms (what others are doing) and ease of decision-making.
For policy-makers:
- Interventions that make eco-friendly products more accessible (e.g., subsidies, incentives, better distribution) can help convert green intention into actual behaviour.
- Educational campaigns need to go beyond awareness: clarify how to act, ease the process, and build consumer confidence in green alternatives.
- In emerging markets specifically, there may be unique structural or cultural barriers (income levels, infrastructure, trust) that deserve targeted strategies.
A quote from the authors
“Understanding the drivers of green purchase intention in emerging economies is vital if we want sustainable consumption to become the norm — not just a niche choice.”
What you can take away
If you’re a business owner, product manager, marketer or policy-maker interested in green consumption—especially in emerging markets—this study offers actionable insights:
Examine what your consumers believe, what they trust, and what they can afford.
Make the eco-friendly choice easy, visible, and relatable.
Build infrastructure (or partner with those who do) so green options are as convenient as traditional ones.
The “green dilemma” is real: caring about the environment is one thing; acting on it is another. This fresh study reminds us that in emerging EU economies, the leap from intention to purchase is influenced by a mix of values, perceptions and structural conditions. For green consumption to scale, we must design the systems, products, promotion, policy that support it.
