Abstract:
With respect to rising environmental and ethical concerns, cultural sustainable purchasing behavior drivers have
come under more spotlight for researchers as well as practitioners This study investigates the role of religious
values and ethical consumption attitude in shaping sustainable purchasing behavior in the Matale District of Sri
Lanka a multicultural area dominated by Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity. The theoretical basis
is in the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Value-Belief-Norm (VBN) Theory, which propose that
consumer behavior is driven by internalized values as well as moral responsibility. Literature on IA suggests
heightened attention towards the convergence of religiosity, consumer ethics, and sustainability across
emerging markets. Most of the earlier work, however, has been done in the Western setting with minimal
learning from South Asian cultural settings. This fills the gap by presenting a culture-specific, localized
examination. A quantitative research method was employed using a structured questionnaire to collect primary
data. The population was adult consumers in the Matale District, and 281 respondents were selected through
stratified random sampling for attaining religious diversity. Measured variables are religious commitment,
ethical consumption tendencies, and sustainable purchasing behaviors with 5-point Likert scales. Data were
analyzed with descriptive statistics, correlation, and multiple regression analysis via SPSS in order to determine
hypothesized relationships on the conceptual framework. Findings showed religious values and sustainable
consumption behavior to be positively related, with ethical consumption partially mediating this relationship.
Cultural sensitivity measures such as community influence and religious doctrine stressing modesty and
stewardship were noted to drive behavior substantially. This research contributes to our understanding of how
religion and culture affect ethical and sustainable consumption, and offers valuable information for policy
makers, marketers, and sustainability campaigners operating in multicultural environments.
