When sustainability meets risk perception: an extended goal-directed behavior model of consumers' sustainable clothing purchase intentions

Purpose This study aims to develop an extended model of goal-directed behavior (MGB) to explain consumers' sustainable clothing purchase behavior and the attitude–behavior gap by incorporating perceived risk into the original MGB framework. Design/methodology/approach Based on the MGB, an extended research model was developed by incorporating perceived aesthetic risk and perceived performance risk as moderating variables. Data were collected from 597 Chinese consumers through a questionnaire survey and analyzed using structural equation modeling with SmartPLS 4.0. Findings Attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, anticipated emotions and frequency of past behavior significantly influence consumers' desire, which in turn predicts purchase intention. Perceived aesthetic risk positively moderates the relationship between desire and purchase intention, whereas perceived performance risk has no significant moderating effect. Originality/value This study extends the MGB by distinguishing between perceived aesthetic risk and perceived performance risk as separate moderating variables and demonstrates the joint roles of cognitive, emotional and habitual processes in explaining sustainable clothing purchase behavior.