Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Anti-consumption for Environmental Sustainability: Conceptualization, Review, and Multilevel Research Directions

  • Published:
Journal of Business Ethics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Given the potential that environmentally oriented anti-consumption (EOA) has in achieving environmental sustainability, the authors draw upon marketing, management, environmental, and psychology studies to conceptualize and delimit EOA, differentiating it from other (related but distinct) phenomena. In addition, the authors review the available literature at the individual (micro) level and summarize research on the antecedents and meanings of broad and specific/strict EOA practices with different targets. Furthermore, the authors propose an agenda for future research, which reflects on EOA not only at the individual (micro) level, but also lays out new opportunities for EOA work at organizational (meso), industry, and national (macro) levels. The work presented here hopes to spark multilevel research on EOA, its antecedents and consequences, and reactions to EOA phenomena.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abrahamse, W., & Steg, L. (2009). How do socio-demographic and psychological factors relate to households’ direct and indirect energy use and savings? Journal of Economic Psychology, 30(5), 711–720.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Abrahamse, W., Steg, L., Gifford, R., & Vlek, C. (2009). Factors influencing car use for commuting and the intention to reduce it: A question of self-interest or morality? Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, 12(4), 317–324.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), 179–211.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alexander, S., & Ussher, S. (2012). The voluntary simplicity movement: A multi-national survey analysis in theoretical context. Journal of Consumer Culture, 12(1), 66–86.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Allen, D. T., & Shonnard, D. R. (2011). Sustainable engineering: Concepts, design and case studies. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arnould, E. J. (2007). Should consumer citizens escape the market? The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 611(1), 96–111.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Autio, M., & Heinonen, V. (2004). To consume or not to consume? Young people’s environmentalism in the affluent Finnish society. Young, 12(2), 137–153.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Autio, M., Heiskanen, E., & Heinonen, V. (2009). Narratives of ‘green’ consumers—The antihero, the environmental hero and the anarchist. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 8(1), 40–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ballantine, P. W., & Creery, S. (2010). The consumption and disposition behaviour of voluntary simplifiers. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 9(1), 45–56.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bamberg, S., & Möser, G. (2007). Twenty years after Hines, Hungerford and Tomera: A new meta-analysis of psychosocial determinants of pro-environmental behavior. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 27(1), 14–25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barr, S., Gilg, A. W., & Ford, N. (2005). The household energy gap: Examining the divide between habitual-and purchase-related conservation behaviours. Energy Policy, 33(11), 1425–1444.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baudrillard, J. (1970). The consumer society: Myths and structure. London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bekin, C., Carrigan, M., & Szmigin, I. (2005). Defying marketing sovereignty: Voluntary simplicity at new consumption communities. Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal, 8(4), 413–429.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bekin, C., Carrigan, M., & Szmigin, I. (2007). Beyond recycling: Commons-friendly waste reduction at new consumption communities. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 6(5), 271–286.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Black, I. (2010). Sustainability through anti-consumption. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 9(6), 403–411.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Black, I. R., & Cherrier, H. (2010). Anti-consumption as part of living a sustainable lifestyle: Daily practices, contextual motivations and subjective values. Journal of Consumer Behavior, 9(12), 437–453.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bogomolova, S., & Millburn, S. (2012). Reasons for non-consideration of brands and the role of prior experience. Journal of Brand Management, 19(4), 304–317.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bortoleto, A. P., Kurisu, K. H., & Hanaki, K. (2012). Model development for household waste prevention behaviour. Waste Management, 32(12), 2195–2207.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Botetzagias, I., Malesios, C., & Poulou, D. (2014). Electricity curtailment behaviors in Greek households: Different behaviors, different predictors. Energy Policy, 69, 415–424.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bowen, F., & Aragon-Correa, J. A. (2014). Greenwashing in Corporate Environmentalism Research and Practice: The Importance of What We Say and Do. Organization and Environment, 27(2), 107–112.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Braunsberger, K., & Buckler, B. (2011). What motivates consumers to participate in boycotts: Lessons from the ongoing Canadian seafood boycott. Journal of Business Research, 64(1), 96–102.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carey, L., Shaw, D., & Shiu, E. (2008). The impact of ethical concerns on family consumer decision-making. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 32(5), 553–560.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carrington, M. J., Neville, B. A., & Whitwell, G. J. (2010). Why ethical consumers don’t walk their talk: Towards a framework for understanding the gap between the ethical purchase intentions and actual buying behaviour of ethically minded consumers. Journal of Business Ethics, 97(1), 139–158.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caruana, R., & Chatzidakis, A. (2014). Consumer social responsibility (CnSR): Toward a multi-level, multi-agent conceptualization of the “other CSR”. Journal of Business Ethics, 21(4), 1–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Casadesus-Masanell, R., Crooke, M., Reinhardt, F., & Vasishth, V. (2009). Households’ willingness to pay for “green” goods: Evidence from Patagonia’s introduction of organic cotton sportswear. Journal of Economics and Management Strategy, 18(1), 203–233.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cervellon, M. C. (2012). Victoria’s dirty secrets: Effectiveness of green not-for-profit messages targeting brands. Journal of Advertising, 41(4), 133–145.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chatzidakis, A., & Lee, M. S. W. (2013). Anti-Consumption as the study of reasons against. Journal of Macromarketing, 62(2), 145–147.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cherrier, H. (2009). Anti-consumption discourses and consumer-resistant identities. Journal of Business Research, 62(2), 181–190.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cherrier, H., Black, I. R., & Lee, M. (2011). Intentional non-consumption for sustainability? Consumer resistance and/or anticonsumption? European Journal of Marketing, 45(11–12), 1757–1767.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cherrier, H., Szuba, M., & Özçağlar-Toulouse, N. (2012). Barriers to downward carbon emission: Exploring sustainable consumption in the face of the glass floor. Journal of Marketing Management, 28(3–4), 397–419.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chouinard, Y., & Brown, M. S. (1997). Going organic: Converting Patagonia’s cotton product line. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 1(1), 117–129.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Connolly, J., & Prothero, A. (2008). Green consumption: Life politics, risks and contradictions. Journal of Consumer Culture, 8(1), 117–145.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Corral-Verdugo, V., Carrus, G., Bonnes, M., Moser, G., & Sinha, J. B. (2008). Environmental beliefs and endorsement of sustainable development principles in water conservation toward a new human interdependence paradigm scale. Environment and Behavior, 40(5), 703–725.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Craig-Lees, M., & Hill, C. (2002). Understanding voluntary simplifiers. Psychology and Marketing, 19(2), 187–210.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cromie, J. G., & Ewing, M. T. (2009). The rejection of brand hegemony. Journal of Business Research, 62(2), 218–230.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Delmas, M. A., & Cuerel Burbano, V. (2011). The drivers of greenwashing. California Management Review, 54(1), 64–87.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DiMaggio, P. J., & Powell, W. W. (1983). The iron cage revisited: Institutional isomorphism and collective rationality in organizational fields. American Sociological Review, 48(2), 147–160.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dobscha, S., & Ozanne, J. L. (2001). An ecofeminist analysis of environmentally sensitive women using qualitative methodology: The emancipatory potential of an ecological life. Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, 20(2), 201–214.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dolnicar, S., Hurlimann, A., & Grün, B. (2012). Water conservation behavior in Australia. Journal of Environmental Management, 105, 44–52.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eckhardt, G. M., Belk, R., & Devinney, T. M. (2010). Why don’t consumers consume ethically? Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 9(6), 426–436.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ek, K., & Söderholm, P. (2010). The devil is in the details: Household electricity saving behavior and the role of information. Energy Policy, 38(3), 1578–1587.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Elkington, J. (1997). Cannibals with forks. In: The triple bottom line of 21st century.

  • Ettenson, R., & Klein, J. G. (2005). The fallout from French nuclear testing in the South Pacific—A longitudinal study of consumer boycotts. International Marketing Review, 22(2), 199–224.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Evans, D. (2011). Thrifty, green or frugal: Reflections on sustainable consumption in a changing economic climate. Geoforum, 42(5), 550–557.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Flammer, C. (2013). Corporate social responsibility and shareholder reaction: The environmental awareness of investors. Academy of Management Journal, 56(3), 758–781.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Foden, M. (2012). Everyday consumption practices as a site for activism? Exploring the motivations of grassroots reuse groups. People, Place and Policy Online, 6(3), 148–163.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fujii, S. (2006). Environmental concern, attitude toward frugality, and ease of behavior as determinants of pro-environmental behavior intentions. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 26(4), 262–268.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gadenne, D., Sharma, B., Kerr, D., & Smith, T. (2011). The influence of consumers’ environmental beliefs and attitudes on energy saving behaviours. Energy Policy, 39(12), 7684–7694.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • García-de-Frutos, N., & Ortega-Egea, J. M. (2015). An integrative model of consumers’ reluctance to buy foreign products: Do social and environmental country images play a role? Journal of Macromarketing, 35(2), 167–186.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gibbons, F. X., Gerrard, M., Blanton, H., & Russell, D. W. (1998). Reasoned action and social reaction: Willingness and intention as independent predictors of health risk. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74(5), 1164–1180.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harland, P., Staats, H., & Wilke, H. A. (1999). Explaining proenvironmental intention and behavior by personal norms and the theory of planned behavior1. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 29(12), 2505–2528.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoffmann, S. (2011). Anti-consumption as a means to save jobs. European Journal of Marketing, 45(11/12), 1702–1714.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoffmann, S. (2014). Does national culture impact consumer boycott prevalence? A multi-country study. European Journal of International Management, 8(2), 141–159.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoffmann, S., & Hutter, K. (2012). Carrotmob as a new form of ethical consumption. The nature of the concept and avenues for future research. Journal of Consumer Policy, 35(2), 215–236.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoffmann, S., Mai, R., & Smirnova, M. (2011). Development and validation of a cross-nationally stable scale of consumer animosity. The Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 19(2), 235–252.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hogg, M. K., Banister, E. N., & Stephenson, C. A. (2009). Mapping symbolic (anti-) consumption. Journal of Business Research, 62(2), 148–159.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hooley, G., Broderick, A., & Möller, K. (1998). Competitive positioning and the resource-based view of the firm. Journal of Strategic Marketing, 6(2), 97–116.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hori, S., Kondo, K., Nogata, D., & Ben, H. (2013). The determinants of household energy-saving behavior: Survey and comparison in five major Asian cities. Energy Policy, 52, 354–362.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Howard-Grenville, J., Buckle, S. J., Hoskins, B. J., & George, G. (2014). Climate change and management. Academy of Management Journal, 57(3), 615–623.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huneke, M. E. (2005). The face of the unconsumer: An empirical examination of the practice of voluntary simplicity in the United States. Psychology and Marketing, 22(7), 527–550.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Isenhour, C. (2010). On conflicted Swedish consumers: The effort to stop shopping and neoliberal environmental governance. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 9(6), 454–469.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Iyer, R., & Muncy, J. A. (2009). Purpose and object of anti-consumption. Journal of Business Research, 62(2), 160–168.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, T. (2005). Live better by consuming less? Is there a “double dividend” in sustainable consumption? Journal of Industrial Ecology, 9(1–2), 19–36.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jaffee, D., & Newman, S. (2013). A bottle half empty: Bottled water, commodification, and contestation. Organization and Environment, 26(3), 318–335.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jansson, J., Marell, A., & Nordlund, A. (2010). Green consumer behavior: Determinants of curtailment and eco-innovation adoption. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 27(4), 358–370.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kalamas, M., Cleveland, M., Laroche, M., & Laufer, R. (2006). The critical role of congruency in prototypical brand extensions. Journal of Strategic Marketing, 14(3), 193–210.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Karlin, B., Davis, N., Sanguinetti, A., Gamble, K., Kirkby, D., & Stokols, D. (2014). Dimensions of conservation exploring differences among energy behaviors. Environment and Behavior, 46(4), 423–452.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaynak, R., & Eksi, S. (2011). Ethnocentrism, religiosity, environmental and health consciousness: Motivators for anti-consumers. Eurasian Journal of Business and Economics, 4(8), 31–50.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kim, H., Choo, H. J., & Yoon, N. (2013). The motivational drivers of fast fashion avoidance. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, 17(2), 243–260.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • King, B. G. (2008). A political mediation model of corporate response to social movement activism. Administrative Science Quarterly, 53(3), 395–421.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klein, J. G., Smith, N. C., & John, A. (2004). Why we boycott: Consumer motivations for boycott participation. Journal of Marketing, 68(3), 92–109.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kozinets, R. V. (2002). Can consumers escape the market? Emancipatory illuminations from burning man. Journal of Consumer Research, 29(1), 20–38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kozinets, R. V., Handelman, J. M., & Lee, M. S. W. (2010). Don’t read this; or, who cares what the hell anticonsumption is, anyways? Consumption Markets and Culture, 13(3), 225–233.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Latouche, S. (2010). Degrowth. Journal of Cleaner Production, 18(6), 519–522.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, M. S. W., Fernandez, K. V., & Hyman, M. R. (2009a). Anti-consumption: An overview and research agenda. Journal of Business Research, 62(2), 145–147.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, M. S. W., Motion, J., & Conroy, D. (2009b). Anti-consumption and brand avoidance. Journal of Business Research, 62(2), 169–180.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, M., Roux, D., Cherrier, H., & Cova, B. (2011). Anti-consumption and consumer resistance: Concepts, concerns, conflicts and convergence. European Journal of Marketing, 45(11/12), 1680–1687.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leonard-Barton, D. (1981). Voluntary simplicity lifestyles and energy conservation. Journal of Consumer Research, 8(3) 243–252.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lounsbury, M., Ventresca, M., & Hirsch, P. M. (2003). Social movements, field frames and industry emergence: A cultural–political perspective on US recycling. Socio-Economic Review, 1(1), 71–104.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Low, W., & Davenport, E. (2007). To boldly go… Exploring ethical spaces to re-politicise ethical consumption and fair trade. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 6(5), 336–348.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martinsson, J., Lundqvist, L. J., & Sundström, A. (2011). Energy saving in Swedish households: The (relative) importance of environmental attitudes. Energy Policy, 39(9), 5182–5191.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCracken, G. (1986). Culture and consumption: A theoretical account of the structure and movement of the cultural meaning of consumer goods. Journal of consumer research, 13, 71–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McNamara, G., Deephouse, D. L., & Luce, R. A. (2003). Competitive positioning within and across a strategic group structure: The performance of core, secondary, and solitary firms. Strategic Management Journal, 24(2), 161–181.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mizobuchi, K., & Takeuchi, K. (2013). The influences of financial and non-financial factors on energy-saving behaviour: A field experiment in Japan. Energy Policy, 63, 775–787.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moisander, J., & Pesonen, S. (2002). Narratives of sustainable ways of living: Constructing the self and the other as a green consumer. Management Decision, 40(4), 329–342.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moraes, C., Carrigan, M., & Szmigin, I. (2012). The coherence of inconsistencies: Attitude–behaviour gaps and new consumption communities. Journal of Marketing Management, 28(1–2), 103–128.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moraes, C., Szmigin, I., & Carrigan, M. (2010). Living production-engaged alternatives: An examination of new consumption communities. Consumption, Markets and Culture, 13(3), 273–298.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nelson, M. R., Rademacher, M. A., & Paek, H. J. (2007). Downshifting consumer = upshifting citizen? An examination of a local freecycle community. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 611(1), 141–156.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nijssen, E. J., & Douglas, S. P. (2004). Examining the animosity model in a country with a high level of foreign trade. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 21(1), 23–38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Noblet, C. L., Thøgersen, J., & Teisl, M. F. (2014). Who attempts to drive less in New England? Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, 23, 69–80.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nordlund, A. M., & Garvill, J. (2003). Effects of values, problem awareness, and personal norm on willingness to reduce personal car use. Journal of environmental psychology, 23(4), 339–347.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oreg, S., & Katz-Gerro, T. (2006). Predicting proenvironmental behavior cross-nationally values, the theory of planned behavior, and value-belief-norm theory. Environment and Behavior, 38(4), 462–483.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ortega-Egea, J. M., & García-de-Frutos, N. (2013). Toward consumption reduction: An environmentally motivated perspective. Psychology and Marketing, 30(8), 660–675.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ozanne, L. K., & Ballantine, P. W. (2010). Sharing as a form of anti-consumption? An examination of toy library users. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 9(6), 485–498.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Papaoikonomou, E. (2013). Sustainable lifestyles in an urban context: Towards a holistic understanding of ethical consumer behaviours. Empirical evidence from Catalonia, Spain. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 37(2), 181–188.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Papaoikonomou, E., Cascon-Pereira, R., & Ryan, G. (2014). Constructing and communicating an ethical consumer identity: A social identity approach. Journal of Consumer Culture,. doi:10.1177/1469540514521080.

    Google Scholar 

  • Papaoikonomou, E., Valverde, M., & Ryan, G. (2012). Articulating the meanings of collective experiences of ethical consumption. Journal of Business Ethics, 110(1), 15–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parsons, E. C. M., & Rawles, C. (2003). The resumption of whaling by Iceland and the potential negative impact in the Icelandic whale-watching market. Current Issues in Tourism, 6(5), 444–448.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peattie, K., & Peattie, S. (2009). Social marketing: A pathway to consumption reduction? Journal of Business Research, 62(2), 260–268.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peñaloza, L., & Price, L. L. (1993). Consumer resistance: A conceptual overview. Advances in Consumer Research, 20, 123–128.

    Google Scholar 

  • Piacentini, M. G., & Banister, E. N. (2009). Managing anti-consumption in an excessive drinking culture. Journal of Business Research, 62(2), 279–288.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Poortinga, W., Steg, L., Vlek, C., & Wiersma, G. (2003). Household preferences for energy-saving measures: A conjoint analysis. Journal of Economic Psychology, 24(1), 49–64.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramus, C. A., & Montiel, I. (2005). When are corporate environmental policies a form of greenwashing? Business and Society, 44(4), 377–414.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Richetin, J., Perugini, M., Conner, M., Adjali, I., Hurling, R., Sengupta, A., & Greetham, D. (2012). To reduce and not to reduce resource consumption? That is two questions. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 32(2), 112–122.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rindell, A., Strandvik, T., & Wilén, K. (2014). Ethical consumers’ brand avoidance. Journal of Product and Brand Management, 23(2), 114–120.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sandıkcı, Ö., & Ekici, A. (2009). Politically motivated brand rejection. Journal of Business Research, 62(2), 208–217.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sarabia-Sánchez, F. J., Rodríguez-Sánchez, C., & Hyder, A. (2014). The role of personal involvement, credibility and efficacy of conduct in reported water conservation behaviour. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 38, 206–216.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schneider, F., Kallis, G., & Martinez-Alier, J. (2010). Crisis or opportunity? Economic degrowth for social equity and ecological sustainability. Introduction to this special issue. Journal of Cleaner Production, 18(6), 511–518.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schreurs, J., Martens, P., & Kok, G. (2012). Living with less as a transformation process: A qualitative study of consumer behavior reform through spending reduction. Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal, 15(2), 188–205.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz, S. H. (1977). Normative influences on altruism. In L. Berkowitz (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology (Vol. 10, pp. 221–279). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sebastiani, R., Montagnini, F., & Dalli, D. (2013). Ethical consumption and new business models in the food industry. Evidence from the Eataly case. Journal of Business Ethics, 114(3), 473–488.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sen, S., Gürhan‐Canli, Z., & Morwitz, V. (2001). Withholding consumption: A social dilemma perspective on consumer boycotts. Journal of Consumer Research, 28(3), 399–417.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharp, A., Høj, S., & Wheeler, M. (2010). Proscription and its impact on anti-consumption behaviour and attitudes: The case of plastic bags. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 9(6), 470–484.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shaw, D., & Black, I. (2010). Market based political action: A path to sustainable development? Sustainable Development, 18(6), 385–397.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shaw, D., & Moraes, C. (2009). Voluntary simplicity: An exploration of market interactions. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 33(2), 215–223.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shaw, D., & Newholm, T. (2002). Voluntary simplicity and the ethics of consumption. Psychology and Marketing, 19(2), 167–185.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shaw, D., Newholm, T., & Dickinson, R. (2006). Consumption as voting: An exploration of consumer empowerment. European Journal of Marketing, 40(9/10), 1049–1067.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shaw, D., & Riach, K. (2011). Embracing ethical fields: Constructing consumption in the margins. European Journal of Marketing, 45(7/8), 1051–1067.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sine, W. D., & Lee, B. H. (2009). Tilting at windmills? The environmental movement and the emergence of the US wind energy sector. Administrative Science Quarterly, 54(1), 123–155.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stern, P. C., Dietz, T., Abel, T., Guagnano, G. A., & Kalof, L. (1999). A value-belief-norm theory of support for social movements: The case of environmentalism. Human Ecology Review, 6(2), 81–98.

    Google Scholar 

  • Suchman, M. C. (1995). Managing legitimacy: Strategic and institutional approaches. Academy of Management Review, 20(3), 571–610.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sütterlin, B., Brunner, T. A., & Siegrist, M. (2011). Who puts the most energy into energy conservation? A segmentation of energy consumers based on energy-related behavioral characteristics. Energy Policy, 39(12), 8137–8152.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sweeney, J. C., Kresling, J., Webb, D., Soutar, G. N., & Mazzarol, T. (2013). Energy saving behaviours: Development of a practice-based model. Energy Policy, 61, 371–381.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Szmigin, I., Carrigan, M., & McEachern, M. G. (2009). The conscious consumer: Taking a flexible approach to ethical behaviour. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 33(2), 224–231.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Verlegh, P. W., & Steenkamp, J. B. E. (1999). A review and meta-analysis of country-of-origin research. Journal of Economic Psychology, 20(5), 521–546.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walther, C. S., & Sandlin, J. A. (2013). Green capital and social reproduction within families practising voluntary simplicity in the US. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 37(1), 36–45.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, Z., Zhang, B., Yin, J., & Zhang, Y. (2011). Determinants and policy implications for household electricity-saving behaviour: Evidence from Beijing, China. Energy Policy, 39(6), 3550–3557.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Witkowski, T. H. (2010). A brief history of frugality discourses in the United States. Consumption, Markets and Culture, 13(3), 235–258.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu, D. E., Thomas, J. B., Moore, M., & Carroll, K. (2013). Voluntary simplicity: The Great American Apparel Diet. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, 17(3), 294–305.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • York, J. G., & Lenox, M. J. (2013). Exploring the sociocultural determinants of de novo versus de alio entry in emerging industries. Strategic Management Journal, 35(13), 1930–1951.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yuksel, U., & Mryteza, V. (2009). An evaluation of strategic responses to consumer boycotts. Journal of Business Research, 62(2), 248–259.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zamwel, E., Sasson-Levy, O., & Ben-Porat, G. (2014). Voluntary simplifiers as political consumers: Individuals practicing politics through reduced consumption. Journal of Consumer Culture, 14(2), 199–217.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zavestoski, S. (2002a). Guest editorial: Anticonsumption attitudes. Psychology and Marketing, 19(2), 121–126.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zavestoski, S. (2002b). The social–psychological bases of anticonsumption attitudes. Psychology and Marketing, 19(2), 149–165.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, Y., Wang, Z., & Zhou, G. (2013). Antecedents of employee electricity saving behavior in organizations: An empirical study based on norm activation model. Energy Policy, 62, 1120–1127.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Prof. Scott J. Vitell and two anonymous reviewers for their insightful and constructive comments during the review process and to Dr. Stephanie Bertels for her invaluable developmental feedback on early versions of this paper. In addition, the authors gratefully acknowledge financial support from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Science (National R&D Project ECO2011-24921) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF/FEDER), from the University of Almería’s (UAL, ceiA3) predoctoral grant program, and CySOC.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Economics & Business, University of Almería (ceiA3), 04120, Almería, Spain

    Nieves García-de-Frutos, José Manuel Ortega-Egea & Javier Martínez-del-Río

Authors
  1. Nieves García-de-Frutos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. José Manuel Ortega-Egea
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Javier Martínez-del-Río
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to José Manuel Ortega-Egea.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

García-de-Frutos, N., Ortega-Egea, J.M. & Martínez-del-Río, J. Anti-consumption for Environmental Sustainability: Conceptualization, Review, and Multilevel Research Directions. J Bus Ethics 148, 411–435 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-016-3023-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-016-3023-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation