Environmental degradation and unsustainable consumption have become urgent global issues, with consumer behaviour responsible for nearly 70% of all greenhouse gas emissions. Although awareness of eco-friendly lifestyles has grown, the actual use of green products remains low. This research uses the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) method to identify and rank consumer preferences for environmentally sustainable products. Unlike previous studies that examined individual features separately, this work combines consumer perception data from the Delhi National Capital Region (NCR) with expert industrial evaluations to close the gap between design and policy implementation. The findings show that consumers value non-toxic, biodegradable, and recyclable materials most, followed by accessibility, emission reduction, and clean energy use. The study offers a structured QFD-based prioritisation model that converts consumer preferences into practical design guidelines for sustainable product development. Policymakers and manufacturers in emerging economies can replicate this framework to align environmental objectives with consumer demands better.
| [1] | Steffen, W.; Crutzen, J.; McNeill, J.R, The Anthropocene: Are humans now overwhelming the great forces of Nature? Ambio 2007, 36, 614–621.View Article PubMed |
| [2] | Clark, G, Evolution of the global sustainable consumption and production policy and the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) supporting activities. J. Clean. Prod. 2007, 15, 492–498.View Article |
| [3] | Scheel C, Eduardo A, Bello B, Decoupling economic development from the consumption of finite resources using circular economy. A model for developing countries. Sustainability, 2020, 12(4):1291.View Article |
| [4] | Li Q, Long R, Chen H, Empirical study of the willingness of consumers to purchase low-carbon products by considering carbon labels: a case study. J Clean Prod, 2017, 161, 1237–1250.View Article |
| [5] | Akhtar, R.; Sultana, S.; Masud, M.M.; Jafrin, N.; Al-Mamun, A. Consumers’ environmental ethics, willingness, and green consumerism between lower and higher income groups. Resour. Conserv. Recycl. 2021, 168, 105274. [CrossRef].View Article |
| [6] | Perez-Castillo, D.; Vera-Martinez, J. Green behaviour and switching intention towards remanufactured products in sustainable consumers as potential earlier adopters. Asia Pac. J. Mark. Logist. 2021, 33, 1776–1797.View Article |
| [7] | Dyllick, T.; Rost, Z. Towards true product sustainability. J. Clean. Prod. 2017, 162, 346–360.View Article |
| [8] | Bravo, A., Vieira, D., & Rebello, T. A, The Origins, Evolution, Current State, and Future of Green Products and Consumer Research: A Bibliometric Analysis. Sustainability, 2022, 14(17), 11022.View Article |
| [9] | Fonseca, L. M., Domingues, J. P., & Dima, A. M, Mapping the sustainable development goals relationships. Sustainability, 2020, 12(8), 3359.View Article |
| [10] | Kollmuss A, Agyeman J, Mind the gap: why do people act environmentally and what are the barriers to pro-environmental behavior? Environ Educ Res, 2002, 8:239–260.View Article |
| [11] | Kumar, P., Singh, M. K., & Agrawal, S, An analysis of customer’s purchase intention towards the green products and its effect on manufacturing: A statistical approach. Journal of Engg. Research ICARI Special Issue pp, 2021, 1, 10. |
| [12] | https:// www.un.org/ en/desa/ world-population- projected-reach-98- billion-2050-and- 112-billion-2100 (accessed on 20th April 2023). |
| [13] | Machado, C. G., Winroth, M. P., & Ribeiro da Silva, E. H. D, Sustainable manufacturing in Industry 4.0: an emerging research agenda. International Journal of Production Research, 2020, 58(5), 1462-1484.View Article |
| [14] | Sartal, A., Bellas, R., Mejías, A. M., & García-Collado, A. (2020). The sustainable manufacturing concept, evolution and opportunities within Industry 4.0: A literature review. Advances in Mechanical Engineering, 12(5), 1687814020925232.View Article |
| [15] | Ljungberg, L.Y. Materials Selection and Design for Development of Sustainable Products. Mater. Des. 2007, 28, 466–479.View Article |
| [16] | Ghazali, I.; Rashid, S.H.A.; Dawal, S.Z.M.; Aoyama, H.; Tontowi, A.E.; Ghazilla, R.A.R. Green Product Preferences with Respect to Cultural Influences: Empirical Study in Indonesia. Int. J. Autom. Technol. 2018, 12, 842–852.View Article |
| [17] | Sun Y, Wang S, Gao L, Li J, Unearthing the effects of personality traits on consumer’s attitude and intention to buy green products. Nat Hazards, 2018, 93(1):299–314.View Article |
| [18] | Yadav R, Pathak GS, Determinants of consumers' green purchase behavior in a developing nation: applying and extending the theory of planned behavior. Ecol Econ, 2017, 134:114–122.View Article |
| [19] | Sharma, A., & Foropon, C, Green product attributes and green purchase behavior: A theory of planned behavior perspective with implications for circular economy. Management Decision, 2019, 57(4), 1018-1042.View Article |
| [20] | Goncalves HM, Lourenco TF, Silva GM, Green buying behaviour and the theory of consumption values: a fuzzy-set approach. J Bus Res, 2016, 69(4):1484–1491.View Article |
| [21] | Biswas, A., & Roy, M, Consumer motivation for purchasing green products: An empirical analysis from emerging economies. Journal of Cleaner Production, 2023, 389, 135835. |
| [22] | Ghazali, I., Abdul-Rashid, S. H., Md Dawal, S. Z., Huda, N., Shariff, A. H. M., Herawan, S. G., ... & Sakundarini, N, Guidelines for designing green products considering customers’ cultural preferences. Sustainability, 2021, 13(2), 673.View Article |
| [23] | Joshi, Y.; Rahman, Z. Factors Affecting Green Purchase Behaviour and Future Research Directions. Int. Strateg. Manag. Rev. 2015, 3, 128–143.View Article |
| [24] | Tseng, M.-L.; Lin, S.; Chen, C.-C.; Calahorrano Sarmiento, L.S.; Tan, C.L. A Causal Sustainable Product-Service System Using Hierarchical Structure with Linguistic Preferences in the Ecuadorian Construction Industry. J. Clean. Prod. 2019, 230, 477–487.View Article |
| [25] | Jad’ud’ová, J.; Badida, M.; Badidová, A.; Marková, I.; Tah ˇ úˇnová, M.; Hroncová, E. Consumer Behavior towards Regional Eco-Labels in Slovakia. Sustainability 2020, 12, 5146.View Article |
| [26] | Dinh, C. T., Uehara, T., & Tsuge, T, Green attributes in young consumers’ purchase intentions: a cross-country, cross-product comparative study using a discrete choice experiment. Sustainability, 2021, 13(17), 9825.View Article |
| [27] | Young W, Hwang K, McDonald S, Sustainable consumption: green consumer behavior when purchasing products. Sustain Dev, 2010, 18(1):20–31.View Article |
| [28] | Ackermann, L. Design for Product Care: Enhancing Consumers’ Repair and Maintenance Activities. Des. J. 2018, 21, 543–551.View Article |
| [29] | Mustafa, S., Tengyue, H., Qiao, Y., Sha, S. K., & Sun, R, How a successful implementation and sustainable growth of e-commerce can be achieved in developing countries; a pathway towards green economy. Front. Environ. Sci, 2022, 10(940659), 10-3389.View Article |
| [30] | Akao, Y, QFD: Past, present and future. In A. Gustafsson, B. Bergman & F. Ekdahl (Eds.), Proceedings of 3rd Annual International QFD Symposium (Vol. 1). Sweden: Linköping, 1997. |
| [31] | Burn, G. R, Quality function deployment. In Managing Quality. London: Phillip Allan, 1994. |
| [32] | Dika, R. J, The first seven years. In Quality up and costs down: A manager's guide to Taguchi methods and QFD. Dearborn: ASI Press, 1995. |
| [33] | Foster, W. F, Customer driven healthcare: QFD for process improvement and cost reduction. Quality Progress, 2001, 34, 123–124. |
| [34] | Chan, L. K., & Wu, M. L, Quality function deployment: A literature review. European Journal of Operational Research, 2002, 43, 463–497.View Article |
| [35] | Pai, W. C, A quality-enhancing software function deployment model. Information Systems and Management, 2002, 19, 20–24.View Article |
| [36] | PMI (Project Management Institute), A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK guide) (4th ed.). Pennsylvania: Project Management Institute, 2008. |
| [37] | Tran, T. L., & Sherif, J. S, Quality function deployment (QFD): An effective technique for requirements acquisition and reuse. In Proceedings of IEEE International Software Engineering Standard Symposium, Los Alomitos, CA, 1995. |
| [38] | Xie, M., Tan, K. C., & Goh, T. N, Advanced QFD applications. Milwaukee: ASQ Quality Press, 2003. |
| [39] | Benner, M., Linnemann, A. R., Jongen, W. M. F., & Folstar, P, Quality Function Deployment (QFD)—can it be used to develop food products? Food Quality and Preference, 2003, 14(4), 327-339.View Article |
| [40] | Rubert, C. K., de Carvalho, C. P., de Almeida, M. D. G. D., de Barros, J. G. M., & de Souza Sampaio, N. A, Development of automotive packaging by applying the QFD method. Revista de Gestão e Secretariado (Management and Administrative Professional Review), 2023, 14(6), 10527-10548.View Article |
| [41] | Ginting, R., & Ishak, A, An Integrated of AHP–QFD Methodology For Poduct Design: A Review. Jurnal Ilmiah Teknik Industri, 2020, 8(1).View Article |
| [42] | Sohn, J.S.; Kim, H.K.; Kim, S.W.; Ryu, Y.; Cha, S.W, Biodegradable Foam Cushions as Eco-Friendly Packaging Materials. Sustainability, 2019, 11, 1731.View Article |
| [43] | Khan, M.A.; Mittal, S.; West, S.; Wuest, T. 2018. Review on Upgradability—A Product Lifetime Extension Li, G., Lim, M. K., & Wang, Z, Stakeholders, green manufacturing, and practice performance: Empirical evidence from Chinese fashion businesses. Annals of Operations Research, 2020, 290, 961-982.View Article |
| [44] | Gafurovich, D. U., & Sotivoldievich, Z. M, The use of non-conventional power sources is a requirement of the period. Academicia Globe: Inderscience Research, 2021, 2(7), 1-6. |
| [45] | Sultonboevich, A. A., Olimjonov, D. B., Shamsiddinov, S. F., & Zikriyoxujaeva, M. (2022, May). The Use Of Non-Conventional Energy Sources In Urban Development, 2022, 95-98, In Conference Zone. |
| [46] | Liu, Z., Qian, Q., Hu, B., Shang, W. L., Li, L., Zhao, Y., ... & Han, C, Government regulation to promote coordinated emission reduction among enterprises in the green supply chain based on evolutionary game analysis. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 2022, 182, 106290.View Article |
| [47] | Li, G., Lim, M. K., & Wang, Z, Stakeholders, green manufacturing, and practice performance: Empirical evidence from Chinese fashion businesses. Annals of Operations Research, 2020, 290, 961-982.View Article |
| [48] | Mohagheghian, E., Hosseini-Nasab, H., Zare-Mehrjerdi, Y., & Fakhrzad, M. B, A hybrid approach to investigate the relationship between design factors and sustainability. RAIRO-Operations Research, 2021, 55(5), 2711-2737.View Article |
| [49] | Jadayel, M., & Khameneifar, F, Improving geometric accuracy of 3D printed parts using 3D metrology feedback and mesh morphing. Journal of Manufacturing and Materials Processing, 2020, 4(4), 112.View Article |
| [50] | Becker, J., Manske, C., & Randl, S, Green chemistry and sustainability metrics in the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector. Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry, 2022, 33, 100562.View Article |
