A Study on the Recognition and Purchasing Behavior of Hair Care Products with Natural Extracts: Focusing on Consumer Value by Age Group

This study analyzes how consumers’ consumer values shape their perceptions and purchase behaviors regarding hair-care cosmetics formulated with natural ingredients. To segment consumer values by age and identify factors influencing perceptions and purchase behaviors across value dimensions, we conducted statistical analyses using standard software. Findings are as follows. First, in comparing consumer values with perception differences, environmental value showed a statistically significant difference. Second, in the analysis of purchase-intention by age, responses to the item “I intend to purchase hair products with natural extracts in the future” increased significantly with age—older cohorts exhibited higher purchase intention. Third, correlation analyses indicated that the aggregate consumer-value indices were positively correlated with overall consumer perceptions; moreover, consumer values showed positive correlations with purchase behavior across the ethical, functional, environmental, and emotional value dimensions. In sum, individual consumer values exert a measurable influence on purchasing behavior. With respect to values and perceptions, higher age was associated with greater awareness of environmental pollution, which appears to translate into a stronger propensity to purchase environmentally considerate products. These patterns suggest a steady rise in environmentally conscious consumption and imply favorable market prospects for products based on natural ingredients. A limitation of this study is the uneven distribution of age groups, which constrained the extent to which the sample could reflect diverse participant characteristics.