Green Brand Equity and Its Antecedents: A Non-parametric Approach

In developing countries today, there are urgent calls for green transformation, including the development of green brands, so as to address the environmental concerns in recent years. Research on green branding for sustainable development in these countries is, however, still in its infancy. Furthermore, the parametric approach has been adopted for most existing studies. This study aims to fill the gap by using the Delphi method to investigate into green food industry in Vietnam which is a developing country. Included in the survey sample are professionals with at least five years of experience shopping for green foods and vast knowledge about the products. Via purposeful sampling, the invited experts participated in a two-round Delphi survey which revealed 18 key factors affecting green branding. The factors are further classified into five clusters, namely “green brand image”, “green satisfaction”, “green trust”, “brand perceived quality”, and “green perceived value”. In the participants’ perception, these are the key antecedents of green brand equity. The findings give a scientific basis for policy-makers, and managers in Vietnam in their effort to enhance the green brand equity of enterprises and the nation as a whole.