Consumer Behaviour and Factors Affecting the Selection of Green Private Label Products in Greek Retail Market

Green private label products are products that have the name of the store or the name of the company owned. Made on behalf of a commercial enterprise, usually by third parties and placed on the same branch network. During the last few years, due to the strong presence of discount stores, retail chains continually expand the range of private label products. Green private label products, except of being a defensive mechanism towards discount chains, they contribute to the diversification of the commercial chain, greatly expanding the range of products in the store and the customer's choice, ensure higher margins and increase the bargaining power of the chain towards suppliers. Therefore, the intense competition between retail operators in order to gain greater market share in relation to the increasing consumers’ awareness regarding price and quality issues, contributed to the production of green private label products. In the early years of presence of private label products, they were characterized as products with low price and low quality. The factors associated with the store and affect the acceptance of private label products are the image, the atmosphere and loyalty in the store. The private label products are an extension of the image of the store. A primary quantitative research has been conducted in order to answer on specific research hypothesis that have been stated in the methodology chapter. The main findings of the research illustrate that there are positive relationships between the intention to buy green private label products, the factors of perceived value (quality, emotional, price and social), the brand consciousness of customers and consumers’ attitude toward green private label products, and with some of the demographic variables.