Consumer responses to eco-friendly product packaging: The case of Turkey, Russia, and Sweden

Green marketing has gained strategic importance alongside rising environmental awareness and sustainability goals. In this context, eco-friendly packaging has become a key factor influencing consumer behavior. However, there is limited research comparing this impact across different cultural and economic settings. This study, grounded in Signaling Theory, examines how young consumers aged 18–30 in Turkey (n=250), Sweden (n=249), and Russia (n=250), perceive environmental awareness, institutionalized trust, and attitudes toward eco-friendly packaging and recycling, and how these factors influence their purchase intentions and willingness to pay more. Data were collected from 749 participants through online surveys and analyzed using multiple linear regression. The results show that eco-friendly packaging serves as a signal that positively shapes consumer behavior. The strength of this effect varies by country: it is reinforced in Sweden due to high environmental awareness and recycling rates, while structural limitations in Turkey and Russia reduce the impact.