Analysing Gen Z Behaviour Through Binoculars. A Closer Look at Private and Public Sustainable Habits

The flourishing research on Generation Z (Gen Z) has depicted this age cohort as the most sustainable and digital. Yet empirical evidence about the sustainable behaviours domain through which Gen Z outperforms elderly generations, and whether digital tools interplay as concrete enablers, is still scant. Hence, drawing on the Generational Cohort Theory, the study has a twofold objective: first, it compares differences between Gen Z and older people over a set of private and public sustainable behaviours; second, it indulges in the role of information seeking and sharing, exploring whether it impacts on sustainable consumption choices as the generation varies. We designed a quantitative empirical analysis, administering an online survey to a representative sample of the Italian population (n = 1,029). Through t-test analysis, we assessed the differences in the abovementioned behaviours between Gen Z and the elderly cohort. Then, multivariate regression analyses allowed us to explore the impact of information and generations on sustainable habits. Findings suggested that elderly generations succeed in household efficient resource consumption, reducing waste and recycling. On the other side, Gen Z favours using new consumption models based on sharing economy, dealing with online information, and being an active citizen. Furthermore, information seeking and social sharing foster both young and elderly generations to perform virtuous behaviours and sustainable consumption. This research provides insights for practitioners, prompting brands and organizations to engage Gen Z via more decentralized forms of communication, such as peers’ recommendations.