Bridging The Ethical Attitude–Intention–Behavior Gap in Emerging Urban Markets: A Desk-Research Synthesis From Hanoi

Nguyen Thi Thanh Mai

doi:10.56201/ijmcs.v10.no8.2026.pg13.24

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Bridging The Ethical Attitude–Intention–Behavior Gap in Emerging Urban Markets: A Desk-Research Synthesis From Hanoi

Nguyen Thi Thanh Mai

Abstract

Although interest in ethical consumption is rising both globally and in Vietnam, actual purchasing behavior continues to lag substantially behind stated attitudes and intentions - in Hanoi, while 72% of consumers express willingness to pay a premium for green products, only 12–18% maintain this habit daily, reflecting a classic attitude–intention–behavior gap that remains insufficiently theorized in the context of emerging urban markets. Existing literature applies the Theory of Planned Behavior, Value–Belief–Norm theory, and institutional theory in a fragmented manner, while studies conducted in Vietnam rely almost exclusively on primary-survey testing of isolated factors, lacking a theoretical synthesis grounded in a specific institutional context. Using a desk-research method - systematically synthesizing, analyzing, evaluating, and comparing academic literature and published secondary data on Hanoi - this paper integrates the three theoretical frameworks into a unified conceptual model in which institutional trust, greenwashing skepticism, and price–value trade-offs serve as three central moderating mechanisms, illustrated by the empirical finding that all “Vietnam Green Label” certifications have been inactive since 2020. Four theoretical propositions (P1–P4) are advanced as a foundation for future empirical testing. The paper contributes theoretically by extending institutional theory to the level of individual consumer behavior, while offering practical implications for businesses, certification bodies, and policymakers in transitional urban economies.

Keywords

ethical consumption; attitude–intention–behavior gap; institutional trust; greenwashing skepticism; emerging market; HanoiVietnam

References

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Bridging The Ethical Attitude–Intention–Behavior Gap in Emerging Urban Markets: A Desk-Research Synthesis From Hanoi

Abstract

Keywords

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