Green Marketing and Renewable Energy: Evidence on Motivations and Behaviour in the Aquacultural Market

The purpose of this paper falls within the theoretical framework of green marketing. It investigates the relationships that exist between the motives relating to aquacultural products marketed under the private label of a traditional retailer (Coop), the attitude towards their purchase, the perception of their quality, their reliability and the willingness to pay for them. Particular importance is given to the green motives, those that lead to a preference for a product made with specific renewable energies such as biogas. The structural equation models technique (SEM) is used to develop propositions representing a theoretical approach to the integration of green marketing, in the context of the process for purchasing Coop brand fish. With regard to distinguishing between the motives, we referred to the approach that sets out three different types of motive: clean, green and ethical. The resulting managerial implications make it possible to assess how much the different types of motive influence the choices of the consumers. Managers will benefit from the results of this paper by understanding better the benefits for consumers of aquacultural products from renewable energy such as biogas. The originality of the paper lies in its focusing on green purchase behaviour in a poorly investigated sector such as that of fish breeding. The paper contributes to an understanding of the factors that influence environmentally responsible purchase behaviour and their exact relationships, that are still unclear in literature. The fact that environmental issues and concerns are constantly changing implies that ongoing research into their influence on consumer behaviour is essential.