DOES BEHAVIOURAL SPILLOVER OCCUR IN SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION? EVIDENCE FROM YOUNG URBAN CONSUMERS IN MALAYSIA

Urban sustainable consumption has become a critical priority in Malaysia’s transition toward low-impact lifestyles; however, the persistent gap between environmental intention and actual behaviour continues to challenge sustainability efforts. This study investigates the relationships between green purchase intention (GPI), green purchase behaviour (GPB), and broader sustainable actions, including green switching behaviour (GSB) and green disposal behaviour (GDB), through a behavioural spillover perspective. Drawing upon the Theory of Planned Behaviour, Value-Belief-Norm framework, and spillover theory, the study examines the influence of attitude, perceived behavioural control, subjective norms, environmental concern, and price sensitivity on GPI, while assessing the role of greenwashing (GWS) as a contextual boundary condition. Using data collected from 263 young urban consumers in Malaysia and analysed through SmartPLS 4, the findings indicate that attitude, perceived behavioural control, environmental concern, and price sensitivity significantly predict GPI, whereas subjective norms demonstrate limited influence. Furthermore, GPI significantly predicts GPB, while GPB shows strong positive associations with both GSB and GDB, providing empirical evidence of a spillover-consistent pattern in sustainable consumption behaviours. Although greenwashing does not significantly moderate the relationship between GPI and GPB, the finding highlights the complexity of how sustainability perceptions interact with behavioural commitment. This study contributes to sustainable consumption research by extending TPB-based explanations beyond purchase intention and demonstrating how green purchasing is associated with broader pro-environmental practices within an emerging economy context. The findings provide implications for advancing SDG 12, SDG 11, and SDG 15 by informing strategies that reduce economic barriers, strengthen sustainability communication, and support enabling systems for responsible consumption.