Background: Some 80% of the South African (SA) middle class consumers use washing machines, electric cookers, fridges, freezers and other appliances. Considering the growing water and electricity shortages in SA, the government advocates the use of green appliances. However, the factors helping or hindering the positive attitudes, purchase and use of green appliances need examination. Focus of the article: This study focuses on the first and second steps of the community-based social marketing (CBSM) framework, whereby for behavioral change, behaviors, their drivers and barriers are to be examined before strategy formulation. Thus, this study first assessed SA black middle class consumers’ green appliances attitude, behavioral intention and actual behavior. It then integrated the Theory of Consumption Values (TCV), Diffusion of Innovations Theory (DOI), and Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to examine the consumer-related and product-related factors helping or hindering the green appliances attitudes, behavioral intentions and actual behavior. Research Hypotheses: From the integration of the TCV, DOI and TPB, a conceptual model was developed that proposed that consumer-related factors (functional, conditional, epistemic, emotional and social values) and product-related factors (relative advantage, complexity, compatibility and observability) will influence green appliances attitude, which with perceived behavioral control will impact behavioral intention, proposed as a driver of actual behavior. Methods: Considering that the black middle-class are a fast growing and large (about 4.2 million South Africans) community of consumers, cross-sectional quantitative data was collected from 500 black middle class consumers through self-administered questionnaires. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling was used to test 14 hypotheses. Results: The respondents expressed positive attitudes toward green appliances ( M = 5.80 on a 7-point Likert scale and positive intention to buy green appliances ( M = 5.78). Most of the study participants have purchased one or more green appliances ( M = 6.09). The integrated model explained 84.5% of attitude toward green appliances. The significant drivers of attitude were functional, conditional, and epistemic values (consumer-related factors), and relative advantage, compatibility, and observability (product-related factors). The attitude, social value and perceived behavioral control explained 83.1% of behavioral intention, which with PBC explained 24.2% of actual behavior. Recommendations for practice: Considering that the third step of the CBSM framework is to develop strategies for behavioral change, the South-African government, environmental agencies and social marketers should seek ways to reward the large segment of black middle class consumers, so that their positive green appliances attitudes and behavioral intentions can further be converted to actual purchase. The consumer-related and product-related drivers of attitudes and purchase behaviors identified in this study should be used to position and promote green appliances using the middle class consumers as opinion leaders or endorsers. Limitations: The main limitation is the use of a survey which limits provision of deeper insights into drivers and barriers of green appliances attitudes and behaviors.

The study investigates the determinants of green purchase behaviour amongst the millennial cohort in an emerging market of South Africa. The research was theoretically grounded on the diffusion of innovation and the theory of planned behaviour models. A descriptive quantitative research design was followed and primary data was gathered using a self-administered questionnaire. A total of 355 complete responses were suitable for analysis. A partial least squares structural equation modelling technique was used to determine the significance of the interrelationships between the items measuring the study's constructs. Furthermore, the measurement and structural models were assessed. The findings concluded that all the significant independent variables (relative advantage, compatibility and observability) explained 84.0% of the variance in attitude towards green purchase behaviour. Attitudes, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control explained 83.4% of the variance in behavioural intention towards green purchase behaviour and behavioural intention explained 24.2% of the variance in adoption behaviour. It is therefore important for the green industry of South Africa to cultivate the adoption behaviours of green products towards their customer base, thereby securing Nombulelo Dilotsotlhe

The rapid growth of middle-class consumers in emerging markets like South Africa is often characterised by high energy consumption, driven by demand for household appliances. As green appliances can reduce energy consumption, this study (1) examined South African black middle class consumers' attitudes and adoption behaviour of green appliances; (2) integrated the theories of consumption value and planned behaviour for a richer explanation of attitudes and behavioural intention (BI) regarding green appliances; and (3) assessed whether BI and perceived behavioural control (PBC) translate into actual adoption. Data was quantitatively gathered from 500 respondents who were aware of green appliances, displayed the intention to buy green appliances and had bought green appliances. Data was analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling. Findings showed that respondents hold a strong positive attitude towards green appliances (M=5.8), which was significantly driven by functional, emotional, and epistemic values. Attitude, social value and PBC drove BI which, with PBC, influenced adoption. The integrated model explained far greater percentage of attitude (81%) and BI (83.4%) compared to studies applying only one theory. The original value lies in the sampling of consumers, who are working and capable of buying green appliances. Previous studies have mainly used students, who lack purchasing power. The integrated model makes theoretical implication by providing greater explanatory power of green product adoption. Practically, from their positive attitudes towards green appliances and adoption behaviour, governmental/environmental interest groups can use the large and influential black middleclass as opinion leaders to promote green product use.

The quantitative study reported in this article applied the diffusion of innovation theory (DOI) to predict the purchase intention for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). Data were collected through an online survey involving 504 individuals in Gauteng, South Africa. The multiple regression technique was applied to the DOI model to test the proposed hypotheses of the study. Results indicate that relative advantage, compatibility and observability relate positively to PHEV purchase intention, while complexity is regarded as negative in that regard. On the other hand, trialability has no positive relation to PHEV purchase intention. The findings of this study can assist producers and marketers in crafting marketing strategies that can appeal to consumers and also increase their intention to purchase of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

The purpose of this paper was to examine the factors that influence millennials’ intentions to adopt plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) in Gauteng, South Africa. This study was based on the theory of consumption values (TCV), using structured questionnaires and convenience sampling. Data was collected from 504 respondents in Gau-teng, South Africa. A multiple regression analysis was performed to test the proposed hypotheses. The findings revea-led a significant relationship between social, emotional and conditional values and millennials’ behavioural intentions to adopt PHEVs and demonstrated a non-significant relationship between functional and epistemic values and beha-vioural intentions. Online data collection was used owing to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, which limited the researcher’s abilities to explain items in the questionnaire. Also, the study focused only on millennials residing in Gauteng, which does not accurately represent the behavioural intentions of the entire country. Nevertheless, this study offers useful information to environmentally friendly car manufacturers, car dealerships and the government, for developing strategies aimed at encouraging the adoption of PHEVs among South African millennial consumers.