The Impact of Green Packaging on Consumer Brand Attitudes and Purchasing Behavior: A Case Study of Coca-Cola's

Abstract

This paper uses Coca-Cola's "labelless bottle," launched in 2023, as a case study to explore the mechanisms by which green packaging influences consumer brand attitudes and purchasing behavior. Based on the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) model and the theory of planned behavior (TPB), a multivariate mediation-moderation model was constructed, encompassing green packaging, brand attitudes, brand identity perceptions, environmental awareness, and purchase intention. A questionnaire survey collected 360 valid data points, and structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed for hypothesis testing. The research results show: 1. Green packaging significantly improves consumers' brand attitude (β = 0.428, p < 0.001) and brand identity perception (β = 0.386, p < 0.001); 2. Brand attitude and brand identity perception both have a significant positive impact on purchase intention (β = 0.483 and 0.312, p < 0.001), partially mediating the relationship between green packaging and purchase intention; 3. Environmental awareness significantly moderates the impact of green packaging on brand attitude and purchase intention, with the positive effect of green packaging being more pronounced among those with high environmental awareness. This study's theoretical contribution extends the application of the S-O-R and TPB models to the field of green consumption, introducing the variables of brand identity perception and environmental awareness to enhance the model's explanatory power. Practically, it provides specific recommendations for companies regarding green packaging strategies, including strengthening brand identity design, differentiated environmental communication, and avoiding the risk of "greenwashing." Finally, this study points out limitations in sample representativeness and cross-sectional data. Future cross-cultural, cross-industry, and longitudinal studies are recommended to further validate the universality and dynamic nature of the findings.