Living Local: The Impact of Quality‐of‐Life and Ethnocentrism on Consumer Responsibility for Sustainable Consumption and Local Brands

This study, grounded in consumer culture theory, examines how quality‐of‐life, consumer responsibility for sustainable consumption, and ethnocentrism influence local brand preference. Moving beyond national wealth metrics, it explores regional disparities in quality‐of‐life using a representative sample of 2589 Spanish consumers and official quality‐of‐life indicators. A hierarchical cluster analysis grouped regions by quality‐of‐life, and structural equation modeling tested the proposed relationships. Results reveal that the effect of consumer responsibility for sustainable consumption on local brand preference varies by regional quality‐of‐life—factors like safety strengthen local brand preference, while access to broader resources may reduce reliance on local options. Ethnocentrism amplifies local brand preference, particularly in lower‐quality‐of‐life regions where supporting local brands reinforces community identity. These findings underscore the need for localized marketing and policy strategies that not only address consumer preferences at a national level but also consider regional variations in quality‐of‐life and cultural identity, thereby enabling more effective, context‐sensitive interventions.