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Safeguarding the legal balance between competitive entrepreneurship (business) and sustainable consumption

Author

Listed:
  • Lina Novikovienė

    (Mykolas Romeris University, Lithuania)

  • Ieva Navickaitė-Sakalauskienė

    (Mykolas Romeris University, Lithuania)

Abstract

In this article it is argued that traditional consumer policy increasingly requires transformation towards sustainability. For this purpose, consumer protection regulation must be reshaped into taking environmental needs into account rather than focusing solely on the realization of the European Union internal market, and the satisfaction of endless consumer demands. In order to bring benefits to both the economy and the environment, sustainable consumption choices have to be fostered. The authors focus on the pre-contractual stage of business-to-consumer legal relations, and argue that businesses rethink their marketing strategies and try to emphasize environment friendly aspects. Competitive advantage usually gained by offering consumers greater value by means of lower prices gradually loses its impact, and other methods such as environmental claims become more important in this sense. As advertising can be a powerful force for promoting sustainable consumption by highlighting the sustainable dimensions of goods and convincing consumers to purchase these products, the issue is raised of assuring the truth of advertising as a tool for basic consumer protection in the pre-contractual stage of business-to-consumer legal relations. The authors emphasize that consumer protection against unfair commercial practices should play a significant role in the assessment of environmental claims. The aim of this article is to examine the legal regulation on unfair commercial practices in order to find a balance between the efforts of sustainability-driven entrepreneurs to succeed in a competitive market and the protection of the interests of consumers supporting greener goals.

Suggested Citation

  • Lina Novikovienė & Ieva Navickaitė-Sakalauskienė, 2020. "Safeguarding the legal balance between competitive entrepreneurship (business) and sustainable consumption," Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues, VsI Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Center, vol. 8(1), pages 868-883, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:ssi:jouesi:v:8:y:2020:i:1:p:868-883
    DOI: 10.9770/jesi.2020.8.1(58)
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. World Commission on Environment and Development,, 1987. "Our Common Future," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780192820808.
    2. Elena Kostadinova, 2016. "Sustainable Consumer Behavior: Literature Overview," Economic Alternatives, University of National and World Economy, Sofia, Bulgaria, issue 2, pages 224-234, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Aistė Čapienė & Aušra Rūtelionė & Manuela Tvaronavičienė, 2021. "Pro-Environmental and Pro-Social Engagement in Sustainable Consumption: Exploratory Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-20, February.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    sustainable consumption; sustainable consumer protection law; Unfair Commercial Practices Directive; environmental claims; sustainable consumption initiatives in Lithuania;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • K20 - Law and Economics - - Regulation and Business Law - - - General
    • K39 - Law and Economics - - Other Substantive Areas of Law - - - Other
    • K12 - Law and Economics - - Basic Areas of Law - - - Contract Law
    • K32 - Law and Economics - - Other Substantive Areas of Law - - - Energy, Environmental, Health, and Safety Law

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