Promoting Energy Efficiency in an Emerging Market: Insights and Intervention Strategies
Abstract
Promoting energy efficiency and conservation is an urgent im -
perative in responding to the need to reduce carbon dioxide emissions,
particularly in emerging markets. This article provides insights into
factors that may enhance or impede the purchase of energy-efficient
household appliances in Vietnam. It also suggests intervention strate-
gies to enhance the motivators and mitigate the barriers associated with
energy-efficient appliance purchases. Data were collected from shop -
pers in popular electronics and appliance stores. The findings reveal
that consumer purchasing behaviors are motivated by long-term sav-
ings, environmental protection, social influence, green self-identity and
innovative technologies. Major barriers include lack of information, low
level of credibility of energy rating labels, high prices, time consump-
tion and limited product range.
This article is of interest to policy-makers, social-environmental
organizations, manufacturers and retailers in the development of more
effective strategies for promoting energy efficiency and conservation. It
extends current knowledge about environmentally responsible behav-
ior in emerging markets such as Vietnam.
Downloads
References
International Energy Agency (2016). Energy and Air Pollution—World Energy Outlook
Special Report. Paris, France: OECD.
UNEP (2015). UNEP 2014 Annual Report. Nairobi: UNEP.
Korakan, A. (2009). New approaches for energy efficiency market penetration. Stra-
tegic Planning for Energy and the Environment, 29(1), pages 7-14.
Ottinger, R. (2010). Energy efficiency: the best immediate option for a secure, clean,
and healthy future. Strategic Planning for Energy and the Environment, 30(2), pages
-44.
Russell, C. (2017). Discerning the multiple business benefits of energy efficiency.
Strategic Planning for Energy and the Environment, 36(4), pages 24-40.
Gardner, G. and Stern, P. (2002). Environmental problems and human behavior (2nd ed.).
Boston, Massachusetts: Pearson.
Fall 2018, Vol. 38, No. 2
Oikonomou, V., Becchis, F., Steg, L. and Russolillo, D. (2009). Energy saving and en -
ergy efficiency concepts for policy making. Energy Policy, 37(11), pages 4,787-47,96.
Pothitou, M., Hanna, R. and Chalvatzis, K. (2016). Environmental knowledge, pro-
environmental behaviour and energy savings in households: an empirical study.
Applied Energy, 184, pages 1,217-1,229.
Keho, Y. (2016). What drives energy consumption in developing countries? The
experience of selected African countries. Energy Policy, 91, pages 233-246.
Gaspar, R. and Antunes, D. (2016). Energy efficiency and appliance’s characteris -
tics considered prior to purchase: Differences and similarities between the United
Kingdom, Germany, Portugal, Greece, Poland, Spain and Italy. International Journal
of Green Energy, 13(6), pages 546-555.
Ha, H., and Janda, S. (2012). Predicting consumer intentions to purchase energy ‐ef-
ficient products. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 29(7), pages 461-469.
Nguyen, T., Lobo, A. and Greenland, S. (2017). Energy efficient household appli -
ances in emerging markets: the influence of consumers’ values and knowledge on
their attitudes and purchase behaviour. International Journal of Consumer Studies,
(2), pages 167-177.
Tangari, A. and Smith, R. (2012). How the temporal framing of energy savings influ -
ences consumer product evaluations and choice. Psychology and Marketing, 29(4),
pages 198-208.
Nguyen, T., Lobo, A. and Greenland, S. (2016). Pro-environmental purchase be -
haviour: the role of consumers’ biospheric values. Journal of Retailing and Consumer
Services, 33, pages 98-108.
Euromonitor International (2017). Population Passport. https://www.portal.euro-
monitor.com/portal/statistics.
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Office (2012). Policies and Initiatives on Energy
Efficiency and Conservation in Vietnam. Hanoi: Energy Efficiency and Conservation
Office.
General Statistics Office of Vietnam (2012). Vietnam Household Living Standards Sur-
vey 2012. Hanoi: GSO.
World Bank (2017). Data—Vietnam. http://data.worldbank.org/country/vietnam.
de Koning, J., Crul, M., Wever, R. and Brezet, J. (2015). Sustainable consumption in
Vietnam: an explorative study among the urban middle class. International Journal of
Consumer Studies, 39(6), pages 608-618.
de la Rue du Can, S., Leventis, G., Phadke, A. and Gopal, A. (2014). Design of incen -
tive programs for accelerating penetration of energy-efficient appliances. Energy
Policy, 72, pages 56-66.
Bell, J. (2010). Doing Your Research Project (5th ed.). London: Open University Press.
Euromonitor International (2016). Consumer Appliances in Vietnam. http://www.
euromonitor.com/consumer-appliances-in-vietnam/report.
Podsakoff, P., MacKenzie, S. and Podsakoff, N. (2012). Sources of method bias in
social science research and recommendations on how to control it. Annual Review of
Psychology, 63, pages 539-569.
World Bank (2016). World Bank East Asia and Pacific Economic Update April 2016:
Growing Challenges. Washington: World Bank Publications.
Gaspar, R., and Antunes, D. (2011). Energy efficiency and appliance purchases in
Europe: consumer profiles and choice determinants. Energy Policy, 39(11), pages
,335-7,346.
Nguyen, T., Lobo, A. and Greenland, S. (2017). The influence of cultural values on
green purchase behaviour. Marketing Intelligence and Planning, 35(3), pages 377-396.
Hofstede, G. (2001). Culture’s consequences: comparing values, behaviors, institutions,
Strategic Planning for Energy and the Environment
and organizations across nations (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, California, London: Sage.
Nguyen, T., Lobo, A. and Nguyen, B. (2017). Young consumers’ green pur -
chase behaviour in an emerging market. Journal of Strategic Marketing. doi:
1080/0965254X.2017.1318946.
Barbarossa, C. and De Pelsmacker, P. (2016). Positive and negative antecedents of
purchasing eco-friendly Products: a comparison between green and non-green con-
sumers. Journal of Business Ethics, 134(2), pages 229-247.
Wang, G., Wang, Y. and Zhao, T. (2008). Analysis of interactions among the barriers
to energy saving in China. Energy Policy, 36(6), pages 1,879-1,889.
Costa Pinto, D., Herter, M., Rossi, P. and Borges, A. (2014). Going green for self or
for others? Gender and identity salience effects on sustainable consumption. Inter-
national Journal of Consumer Studies, 38(5), pages 540-549.
Lee, K. (2009). Gender differences in Hong Kong adolescent consumers’ green pur -
chasing behavior. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 26(2), pages 87-96.
Mostafa, M. (2007). Gender differences in Egyptian consumers’ green purchase be -
haviour: the effects of environmental knowledge, concern and attitude. International
Journal of Consumer Studies, 31(3), pages 220-229.
Tran, V. and Nguyen, D. (2016). Vietnamese spend around three full work days on -
line each week.
Nguyen, T., Phan, T., Cao, T. and Nguyen, H. (2017). Green purchase behavior: miti -
gating barriers in developing countries. Strategic Direction, 33(8), pages 4-6
https://aeeeuropeenergy.com/
