Spillover from past recycling to green apparel shopping behavior: the role of environmental concern and anticipated guilt

This study explores catalytic behavior in the context of pro-environmental behaviors by examining the occurrence of spillover that performing recycling behavior promotes the likelihood to engage in green apparel purchases. Additionally, this study incorporates a potential mediator and a moderator, environmental concern and anticipated guilt, respectively, in order to explain the nature of the spillover process. The results of online survey data confirm the development of spillover in consumer behavior that past recycling behavior does spill over into green apparel/fashion product purchase behaviors through one’s motivational belief toward the environment, environmental concern. However, anticipated guilt, a motivation factor, does not moderate spillover among pro-environmental behaviors, at least between past recycling behavior and green apparel shopping behaviors. Theoretically, this study contributes to and extends the literature on spillover in pro-environmental behaviors by testing spillover across distinctive pro-environmental behaviors. This study also provides lessons for fashion retail marketers and government agencies in learning the importance of the social and ethical aspects of consumers’ green practices, beyond price/quality-based choices. Limitations and future research directions are discussed.