Sustainable consumption: The moderating role of perceived inconvenience and trust

Sustainable purchasing represents one of the most tangible manifestations of sustainable consumption. This study applies the Stimulus–Organism–Response (SOR) and Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) frameworks to examine the moderating roles of perceived inconvenience and trust in the relationship between sustainable purchase intention and sustainable purchase behavior. It also investigates the moderating effect of perceived inconvenience on the relationships between contextual stimuli and organism factors (emotional value and social value). A quantitative research approach was employed to collect data from 398 consumers in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang, Vietnam, who had purchased sustainable products. The structural equation model was analyzed using SmartPLS 4. The results indicate that both individual and contextual factors positively influence emotional value and social value, which, in turn, enhance sustainable purchase intention and sustainable purchase behavior. Furthermore, the moderating effects of perceived inconvenience and trust are statistically supported. These findings provide business managers and marketers with deeper insights into consumers’ sustainable purchasing behavior and offer practical implications for promoting sustainable consumption.