The Role of Religious Values and Ethical Consumption in Sustainable Buying Behavior: A Cultural Analysis in Matale District, Sri Lanka

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.