Examining consumer purchase intentions for green private label products: a fuzzy-set analysis in the retail context

While retailers increasingly invest in green private label products, consumer adoption remains inconsistent. Existing research predominantly employs linear models that cannot capture the complex, configurational nature of green purchase decisions and focuses largely on developed markets, creating knowledge gaps regarding emerging economies. This study investigates what combinations of factors lead to high purchase intention for green private label products in an emerging market context. We extend the Theory of Planned Behavior by incorporating green brand image, trust in retailer, and perceived environmental friendliness alongside traditional TPB constructs. Using fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) on data from 421 Tunisian consumers, we identify three sufficient configurational pathways demonstrating equifinality in green consumer behavior. Attitude, perceived behavioral control, and perceived environmental friendliness emerge as core conditions necessary across all pathways, while subjective norms, trust, and green brand image function as peripheral conditions relevant only in specific solutions. These configurations characterize three different consumer profiles. The study contributes by demonstrating the theoretical value of configurational over linear approaches, providing methodological innovation through fsQCA application to green private labels, and offering emerging market insights. Practically, findings enable retailers to develop differentiated strategies aligned with diverse consumer pathways rather than uniform approaches.