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Sustainable Consumer Behavior: Literature Overview

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  • Elena Kostadinova

    (University of National and World Economy, Sofia, Bulgaria)

Abstract

Sustainable consumption is a problem of growing importance and complexity. There is hardly another issue that combines the triviality of everyday human behavior and the abstract dimensions of moral responsibility and the man-nature relationship. Two main perspectives dominate research on sustainable consumer behavior – demand side (marketing) and supply side (business strategy). This paper reviews relevant literature on sustainable consumer behavior and discusses the problem from a marketing perspective. This study aims to introduce the concept of sustainable consumer behavior and its theoretical and methodological foundations, to outline key factors influencing sustainable consumption and the major challenges facing it.

Suggested Citation

  • Elena Kostadinova, 2016. "Sustainable Consumer Behavior: Literature Overview," Economic Alternatives, University of National and World Economy, Sofia, Bulgaria, issue 2, pages 224-234, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:nwe:eajour:y:2016:i:2:p:224-234
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Wander Jager & Marco A. Janssen, 2002. "Stimulating diffusion of green products," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 12(3), pages 283-306.
    2. Roberts, James A., 1996. "Green Consumers in the 1990s: Profile and Implications for Advertising," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 217-231, July.
    3. Webster, Frederick E, Jr, 1975. "Determining the Characteristics of the Socially Conscious Consumer," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 2(3), pages 188-196, December.
    4. I. Vermeir & W. Verbeke, 2004. "Sustainable Food Consumption: Exploring The Consumer Attitude – Behaviour Gap," Working Papers of Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Ghent University, Belgium 04/268, Ghent University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration.
    5. Cathy R. Wessells & Robert J. Johnston & Holger Donath, 1999. "Assessing Consumer Preferences for Ecolabeled Seafood: The Influence of Species, Certifier, and Household Attributes," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 81(5), pages 1084-1089.
    6. Gleim, Mark R. & Smith, Jeffery S. & Andrews, Demetra & Cronin, J. Joseph, 2013. "Against the Green: A Multi-method Examination of the Barriers to Green Consumption," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 89(1), pages 44-61.
    7. Thogersen, John & Olander, Folke, 2002. "Human values and the emergence of a sustainable consumption pattern: A panel study," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 23(5), pages 605-630, October.
    8. William Young & Kumju Hwang & Seonaidh McDonald & Caroline J. Oates, 2010. "Sustainable consumption: green consumer behaviour when purchasing products," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 18(1), pages 20-31.
    9. Paul, Justin & Modi, Ashwin & Patel, Jayesh, 2016. "Predicting green product consumption using theory of planned behavior and reasoned action," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 123-134.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Lina PilelienÄ— & Vilma TamulienÄ—, 2021. "Consumer attitudes and behavior towards organic products: Evidence from the Lithuanian market," Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Innovation, Fundacja Upowszechniająca Wiedzę i Naukę "Cognitione", vol. 17(1), pages 269-299.
    2. Shobhana Chandra & Sanjeev Verma, 2023. "Big Data and Sustainable Consumption: A Review and Research Agenda," Vision, , vol. 27(1), pages 11-23, February.
    3. DURALIA Oana, 2017. "The Influence Of Directly Observable Factors On The Behavior Of The Organic Agro-Food Products Consumer," Revista Economica, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Faculty of Economic Sciences, vol. 69(6), pages 42-54, December.
    4. Öykü Hazal Aral & Jordi López-Sintas, 2020. "A Comprehensive Model to Explain Europeans’ Environmental Behaviors," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-27, May.
    5. repec:blg:reveco:v:69:y:2017:i:6:p:41-53 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Catalin M. Stancu & Alice Grønhøj & Liisa Lähteenmäki, 2020. "Meanings and Motives for Consumers’ Sustainable Actions in the Food and Clothing Domains," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-25, December.
    7. Gratiela Dana Boca, 2021. "Factors Influencing Consumer Behavior in Sustainable Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in Maramures County, Romania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-20, February.
    8. 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.
    9. Selma Saracevic & Bodo B. Schlegelmilch, 2021. "The Impact of Social Norms on Pro-Environmental Behavior: A Systematic Literature Review of The Role of Culture and Self-Construal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-21, May.
    10. Kokkinou, Alinda & Quak, Hans & Mitas, Ondrej & Mandemakers, Albert, 2024. "Should I wait or should I go? Encouraging customers to make the more sustainable delivery choice," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    11. Mario Pagliacci & Adriana Manolica & Teodora Roman & Gabriela Boldureanu, 2019. "The Consumers of Green Products. The Case of Romanian Moldavia Counties," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 21(S13), pages 830-830, November.
    12. Darcy A. Santor & Ihssane Fethi & Sara-Emilie McIntee, 2020. "Restricting Our Consumption of Material Goods: An Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-13, January.
    13. Beckers, Joris & Cardenas, Ivan & Le Pira, Michela & Zhang, Jia, 2023. "Exploring Logistics-as-a-Service to integrate the consumer into urban freight," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    sustainable consumer behavior; green consumer behavior; green purchasing; literature review;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • M31 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Marketing and Advertising - - - Marketing

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