CONSUMER AWARENESS, PREFERENCES AND ADOPTION OF BANANA FIBER PRODUCTS AS ECO-FRIENDLY ALTERNATIVES
Ms. Palki Khurana , Dr. Avanish Kumar
University Institute of Fashion Technology & Vocational Development, Panjab University, Chandigarh–160014, India
Abstract
In recent years, increasing environmental concerns and the growing need for sustainable alternatives have encouraged consumers and businesses to shift toward eco-friendly products. Among such alternatives, banana fiber products have gained importance due to their biodegradable nature, natural availability, and potential to replace conventional non-eco-friendly materials. The significance of this study lies in understanding how consumers perceive banana fiber products and eco-friendly products in terms of awareness, usage preference, purchasing behavior, willingness to pay, and adoption barriers. The scope of the study focuses on assessing consumer acceptance of banana fiber products and identifying the factors that can support their wider market adoption.
The study is based on primary data collected from 86 respondents through a structured questionnaire. A descriptive research methodology was adopted to analyze consumer responses. The collected data were evaluated using percentage analysis and presented through graphical tools such as bar graphs and pie charts. The study examined five major aspects: awareness of banana fiber products, frequency of purchasing eco-friendly products, willingness to pay a premium, preferred usage areas, and perceived barriers to adoption.
The findings reveal that awareness of banana fiber products is still developing. While 29.1% of respondents were moderately aware, 43.0% were either less aware or not aware, indicating a significant awareness gap. Only 27.9% of respondents were aware or highly aware of banana fiber products. In terms of purchasing behavior, 50.0% of respondents reported buying eco-friendly products only sometimes, while 25.6% purchased them often, showing that eco-friendly consumption exists but is not yet a regular habit. The willingness-to-pay results indicate a positive consumer attitude, as 38.4% of respondents were willing to pay a 5%–9% premium, 34.9% were willing to pay 10%–25%, and only 7.0% were unwilling to pay any premium.
The graph on preferred usage areas shows that banana fiber products have the highest acceptance in cafés and restaurants, with 30.9% preference, followed by home usage at 27.7%, gifting purposes at 21.4%, and office use at 20.0%. These results suggest that banana fiber products have scope in both commercial and household markets. However, the adoption of eco-friendly products is mainly restricted by lack of awareness, reported by 43.0% of respondents, followed by limited availability at 30.2% and high cost at 19.8%. Quality concerns were comparatively low at 7.0%, indicating that product reliability is not the major issue among respondents.
The study concludes that banana fiber and eco-friendly products have promising market potential, especially in hospitality, household, and gifting segments. However, wider adoption depends on improving consumer awareness, increasing product availability, and maintaining reasonable pricing. The findings highlight that awareness campaigns, effective marketing strategies, product accessibility, and value-based positioning can play an important role in converting occasional interest into regular sustainable purchasing behavior
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EPRA International Journal of Agriculture and Rural Economic Research (ARER)
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Published on : 2026-05-06
| Vol | : | 14 |
| Issue | : | 5 |
| Month | : | May |
| Year | : | 2026 |