The Impact of Sustainable Packaging on Customer Loyalty: The Mediating Roles of Green Perceived Value and Customer Satisfaction

Résumé

Abstract

This study examines the influence of three dimensions of sustainable packaging—perceived recyclability, perceived biodegradability, and reduction in the amount of material used—on consumer attitudes toward sustainably packaged products and, subsequently, on consumer satisfaction. Methodologically, the study adopts a positivist epistemological stance, a hypothetico-deductive reasoning process, and a quantitative research design. Data were collected through a structured online questionnaire administered via Google Forms to a sample of 100 consumers who had previously purchased or used products with sustainable packaging. The proposed research model was analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS. The results indicate that all three sustainable packaging dimensions positively influence consumer attitude. Perceived recyclability has the strongest effect (β = 0.421), followed by perceived biodegradability (β = 0.369) and material reduction (β = 0.303). Together, these dimensions explain 59.0% of the variance in consumer attitude. Consumer attitude, in turn, has a strong positive effect on satisfaction (β = 0.792), explaining 62.7% of its variance. The study concludes that sustainable packaging contributes to favourable consumer evaluations particularly when its environmental characteristics are visible, understandable, and credible. It further highlights consumer attitude as a central mechanism through which sustainable packaging characteristics translate into greater consumer satisfaction. These findings provide managerial implications for firms seeking to combine environmental responsibility with positive consumer experiences.

Keywords: Sustainable packaging; Perceived recyclability; Perceived biodegradability; Consumer attitude; Consumer satisfaction.