Purchase intention toward sustainable masks after COVID-19: the moderating role of health concern

Abstract This study aimed to investigate consumers’ intentions to purchase sustainable masks to reduce the environmental pollution caused by disposable masks in the context of COVID-19. A research model was derived based on the Value-Belief-Norm theory and the Theory of Planned Behavior, and the moderating role of health concerns and environmental knowledge due to the COVID-19 pandemic were examined. Through a Korean online survey company, we collected data on sustainable masks from respondents aged from their 20 s to 50 s, living in the Korea, and a structural equation analysis was performed on the 337 valid samples. Environmental concerns and beliefs were found to have a positive impact on the purchase intention on sustainable masks. Although environmental knowledge played the role of a moderator, we found that the higher the health concern, the stronger the purchase intention. Based on these results, it is possible to derive a strategy to increase the purchase of sustainable masks and reduce the environmental pollution caused by disposable masks. A sales strategy should be implemented for groups with high health concern. In addition, since the subjective norm increases the purchase intention for sustainable masks, advertising that stimulates them will help reduce environmental pollution caused by disposal masks. In the future, it will be possible to help reduce environmental pollution not only during the COVID-19 pandemic, but also during other emerging pandemics.