Role of marketing cues in affecting attitude towards organic & sustainable cosmetics: values as moderators

Sustainability is based on a simple procedure: Everything that we need for our survival and well being depends directly or indirectly on our natural environment. Being sustainable allows a business to choose what part of product contributes to the goal of sustainability- ingredients, the process of production, packaging, shipping and anything else that may fit in the 12 principles of green chemistry. Global organic and sustainable skin care market is poised to reach US $ 22 billion by 2024 and it’s the conscious consumer who is powering this staggering growth. Nielsen study on “Green Generation” in 2015 observed that sustainability is a priority for the new generation of millennials when it comes to shopping. Green and sustainable cosmetics are defined as cosmetic products using natural ingredients produced from renewable raw materials. There are four different ways to describe sustainability in cosmetics: Ethical sourcing of natural raw materials; cosmetic production (energy and water consumption, waste management); packaging (compostable, bio-degradable, recyclable); and bio-degradability of the finished product. While evaluating certain products, consumers often use evaluative cues which can be categorized as intrinsic and extrinsic. Based on a sample size of 120 respondents, the study attempts to check the role of cues in affecting attitude towards sustainable cosmetics. The paper also checks the moderating effect of four consumer values i.e. openness to change, conservation, self enhancement and self-transcendence in affecting cues role on sustainable cosmetics evaluation. Role of demographics on attitude towards sustainable cosmetics was also studied in the paper.