Eco Marks and Green Marketing Behaviour: A Secondary Data Analysis of Sustainable Consumption and Consumer Behaviour in India

Abstract

Environmental sustainability has increasingly become an important consideration in consumption, product choice and marketing communication in India. The introduction of the Ecomark framework, strengthened regulation against greenwashing, expansion of energy-efficiency labelling and growing policy emphasis on sustainable lifestyles have created an institutional environment in which environmental information can influence consumer behaviour. Against this background, the present study examines the relationship between sustainable consumption conditions, environmental awareness and consumer behaviour through secondary data from official Indian sources. The study draws primarily upon the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey 2023–24 of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation and the Residential Energy Consumption Patterns and Appliance Ownership in India survey of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency and CLASP. The HCES data provide comparable rural and urban monthly per capita consumption expenditure across all 36 States and Union Territories, while the BEE–CLASP survey provides evidence on household appliance ownership, electricity end-use patterns, energy-efficiency awareness and purchase considerations. Two research objectives and two corresponding hypotheses guide the empirical analysis. Descriptive statistics, paired-samples t-test, Pearson correlation and Spearman rank correlation are applied to the State/UT-level HCES observations. The paired analysis indicates a statistically significant difference between rural and urban MPCE, with urban MPCE exceeding rural MPCE by an average of approximately ₹2,433.56. The paired-samples t-test produces t = 14.627 with 35 degrees of freedom and p < .001. Pearson correlation between rural and urban MPCE is .871, while Spearman rank correlation is .846, both statistically significant at p < .001. The results demonstrate a strong and consistent association between rural and urban consumption expenditure across States and Union Territories, while the BEE evidence demonstrates that environmental awareness does not automatically translate into energy-efficient purchasing behaviour. The study concludes that Ecomark and related green-marketing mechanisms can be more effective when credible environmental information is combined with affordability, transparent standards, consumer awareness and behavioural incentives.