Environment attitudes and social influence of sustainable practices: a study on consumer behaviour in Zimbabwe

Abstract This article examines the relationship between environmental attitudes, social influence and consumer behaviour towards sustainable practices in Zimbabwe. This study used a pragmatic approach combining descriptive and exploratory research designs to collect and analyse data on environmental attitudes, sustainable practices and social factors influencing consumer behaviour. This study evaluated the measurement model, discriminant validity, structural model and partial least squares (PLS) prediction using Smart PLS V.4.1.0.0. The results reveal that environmental attitudes drive sustainability brand adoption, loyalty, and advocacy, while perceived behavioural control (PBC) and perceived consumer effectiveness (PCE) emerged as robust predictors. The model indicate higher prediction values for Q 2=0.339-0.366 and lower predicted mean squared error/mean absolute error (PMSE/MAE), indicating better prediction performance. Sustainable brand adoption, brand loyalty and perceived effectiveness have stronger predictive power, while sustainable brand endorsement is moderate but within the accepted means. Subjective norms have weak predictive power.The study recommends that policymakers and companies need to enhance consumer education on environmental impacts and use social media to reinforce subjective norms, fostering sustainability practice, in Zimbabwe.