This study is concerned with understanding the impact of message framing in influencing choice within the sustainable consumption domain. Over-consumption has been proven to be a main cause of environmental degradation, and a shift to sustainable consumption practices is needed. Yet research has found that despite knowledge of environmental issues, and a supportive attitude, pro-environmental behaviour amongst consumers is lacking, with a key influence being the lack of personal utility found in the pro-environmental choice. This study attempts to contribute to narrowing the knowledge attitude practice gap in this domain, by using message framing to isolate the personal utility available in a sustainable choice, thereby influencing a pro-environmental outcome.A study was conducted to determine the main and interaction effects of various salient message frames (reference dependence, loss aversion and time sensitivity) on behavioural intention within sustainable consumption context. Environmental attitude was also tested to ascertain the interaction effect of this variable with the other independent variables and the resultant impact on the choice made. Variables were manipulated in a 2x2x2 factorial design. Results yielded the hypothesised significance of main effects for time sensitivity, but not for reference dependence or loss aversion. In addition no three way interaction for reference dependence by loss aversion by time sensitivity was found. No interaction was found between message frame and environmental attitude. Implications for social marketers engaged in the promotion of pro-environmental behaviours are discussed. Copyright / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

This thesis analyzes systems of product labeling. The aim is to assess the current state of the product labeling and may propose possible improvements. It brings a description and analysis carried out most of the current product labeling systems used in the Czech Republic. The conclusion provides an analysis of the labeling especially in ecological terms, as well as the shortcomings in the system of labeling, such as lack of propagation, lack of cooperation of providers brand and lack of cooperation of Ministry of the Environment with the providers and lack of standardization and fragmentation.

Background: Green consumerism is on the rise. However, the individuals with budget constraints are unable to afford sustainable products due to their budget as well as the premium pricing of the products. This in turn impedes them from expanding their sustainability options. In addition, the sustainability motivated individuals seek other means to meet their sustainable consumption practices. Thus, this thesis explores how the individuals innovate in their sustainable consumption practices while facing budget constraints. Purpose: The purpose of this research is to explore in what ways budget constrained sustainability motivated consumers innovate in their sustainable consumption practices. Method: The method used to investigate this topic is a mixed method of focus groups and interviews. The reason why this method was chosen was because it allows us to obtain an in depth discussion and rich data. Conclusion: The findings of our research has demonstrated that there are many ways that the budget constrained, sustainability motivated students innovate. Nevertheless, premium pricing as well as budget constraints play a significant role in limiting the extent to which they can innovate in their sustainable consumption practices.

Background: Consumers of Gen Z are facing a reality of high inflation. With their unique characteristics and strong attitudes towards sustainability and environmental concern, this thesis is examining how their sustainable consumption is affected by inflation. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of inflation on the sustainable consumption of Generation z.  Method: A paradigm of interpretivism and abductive reasoning is used in the research and a multiple case study was conducted using semi-structured interviews.  Conclusion: Consumers of Gen Z are having a difficult time purchasing sustainable products because of inflation. Sustainable consumption has become difficult to maintain due to having less funds among Gen Z. As a result, Gen z consumers changed their consumption to less- costly and more sustainable alternative in order to adapt to the economic situation.   Despite inflation, our research has shown Gen Z consumers are still dedicated to the issue of sustainability and environment.

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Background: The world is currently experiencing an economic and socio-political crisis causing the global environment to be characterized by increased uncertainty and risk (Carter et al., 2021). After severe years of the COVID-19 pandemic havoc, the world has been presented with yet another setback of the Russian invasion of Ukraine (Assaf et al., 2023) resulting in significant inflation, increasing energy prices, and serious impact causing financial struggles for individuals. Together with an increasing awareness of environmental deterioration and environmentally conscious demanding sustainable products, consumer behaviors are being shaped (Du et al., 2014). Despite the increase in environmental consciousness among the public, a gap exists between an individual’s sustainable consumption intention and behavior becoming particularly apparent during times of uncertainty. To explore how individual sustainable consumption intentions/attitudes and behavior are affected by the current economic and socio-political uncertainty this study seeks to build upon previous research analyzing determining factors to better understand and strengthen sustainable consumption behaviors. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify how perceived risk and uncertainty due to economic and socio-political uncertainty affects individuals’ ability to act on the intended consumption behavior, to generate a better understanding of how sustainable consumption behavior can be supported during times of uncertainty. Method: This study is conducted using a qualitative research strategy through an inductive approach following a more positivistic epistemological stance and an internal realism from the ontological viewpoint, where ten semi-structured interviews have been collected. Conclusion: After generating data from our interviews and analyzing the results in connection to relevant studies and theories, different factors have become apparent to affect respondents during uncertainty. The results have shown that among the most determinant factors affecting consumption behavior during times of increasing uncertainty are price, quality, longevity, social norms, time, and energy. The study has thereby also identified factors with a tendency to encourage sustainable consumption behavior during times of uncertainty such as environmental concern and strong personal values and attitudes as well as behavioral motivation originating from altruistic values can enhance individual ability to act on one's intention even during times of uncertainty. These findings identify the need for and the importance of increasing the environmental knowledge and risk perception of how the environment is affected by production and consumption as well as developing personal norms and moral obligations by ascribing an individual responsibility for preventing environmental degradation with the belief that the sustainable consumption actions performed will generate the desired outcomes.

Sustainable consumption represents consumption considerate to the needs of current and future generations. This term is quite usual since 1992 but the question is how much we have involved main principles of the sustainable consumption to our lifestyles. This thesis deals with this issue. The consumer behavior is affected by numerous external and internal factors. Traders respectively their practices are one of the major factors which involve our consumer behavior. The analyzed corporation Tesco Stores ČR, a. s. is good example in context of sustainable development (consumption). As an another step to this sustainable development (consumption) I present a strategy connected with extension of loyalty system Tesco Clubcard by green points. This can support on the one hand the sustainable consumption and on the other hand the promotion of good image of the corporation, expanding the customer base and increasing sales in this category.

Increasing economic, social and environmental problems around the world have shown that current models of economic development cannot be sustained. Thus, new patterns of consumption are needed. According to the literature, global companies are well placed to attempt leveraging sustainable consumption, as their production lines; supply chains; products and services extend across many continents, and as such the cumulative effect of their actions are wide reaching. This research sets out to better understand the intertwined factors that companies in two different contexts (Mexico and the UK), need to consider in order to leverage sustainable consumption. Through the literature review it was seen that sustainable consumption requires a multitude of changes, which have to occur at a systems level. In response to this, user-centred design (UCD) principles were seen as a valuable approach to give a broader account of the complexities around consumption and consumer's behaviour that could be communicated to higher management. A series of interviews, a focus group and a document analysis was undertaken to collect qualitative data. The findings led to the construction of a theoretical framework supported by UCD principles. The theoretical framework was then translated into the Sustainable Consumption Leveraging (SCL) Model and its toolkit. The SCL Model is a mechanism that takes into account the interaction of elements in a specific business context to identify areas of opportunity to leverage sustainable consumption through a consumer-focused approach. During a series of workshops, the SCL Model and its toolkit were tested to distinguish further opportunities of improvement and to understand where global companies stand with regards leveraging sustainable consumption. The research concludes by saying that companies need to work in collaboration with other actors to build a strong sustainability and innovation strategy that could help them to find new ways of doing business that can enhance more sustainable lifestyles.

The aim of this thesis is to identify and examine the factors influencing environmentally-significant consumption (ESC) by higher-income households (HIH) to provide theoretical and social marketing insights. Income is highly related to levels of energy consumption and associated environmental damage, but despite research documenting the links between income and energy use, there is a lack of enquiry into what shapes the ESC patterns of HIH and therefore how behavioural interventions might be best fashioned to reduce energy use. A postmodern approach to consumption that recognises the interplay between the psychological, the social and the cultural (a psycho-socio-cultural approach), indicates that ESC is not an automatic consequence of wealth but rather mediated through the way consumption practices are symbolically connected with the satisfaction of underlying needs, including the need for identity and other psychological orientations. These connections are not universal or static but socially and culturally contextual and influenced by many factors, particularly marketing. Social marketing, as marketing for social good, therefore has a critical role to play in altering these symbolic connections and therefore consumption behaviour. To design and market alternative lower energy consumption through social marketing interventions, an understanding of how environmentally-significant consumption is connected with modes of need satisfaction and psychological orientations is necessary. Additionally, an understanding of constraints to even higher levels of consumption is useful. This study provides initial research momentum, using a HIH sample from South Devon. Primary data from a quantitative questionnaire was supported in design by qualitative interviews. These provide descriptive and correlational results about what shapes the consumption of; leisure flights, large-engine cars and new durable products, as well as the role of environmentally-significant psychological orientations, specifically: values; materialism; environmental concern and identity. The research also provides a comparative analysis between a group of HIH who have participated in Global Action Plan’s EcoTeam programme, and the general sample of HIH.

Unsustainable meat consumption contributes to climate change. That is why consumers are advised to behave in an environmentally responsible manner and reduce their consumption of meat products. When it comes to willingness to reduce meat consumption, differences between female and male consumers have been identified. The purpose of this dissertation is to investigate what motivating factors influence consumers' decision to reduce the consumption of meat products, and what is determined by influence of gender differences. Furthermore, the results of the analysis will help to find if consumers are willing to reduce meat consumption and if there are any similarities or differences between gender and their values towards meat consumption and the reduction of it. In order to get a deeper understanding of gender values towards reduction of meat consumption, a quantitative method and explanative design were applied and data was collected using online focus groups, male and female students from Kristianstad University. The results show that most of the respondents are willing to reduce the consumption of meat. Moreover, there were observed that some of the masculine attributes were more concerned about ethical issue such as animal welfare, meanwhile feminine - health issues and food safety. This thesis has laid a good foundation for possible future research about gender and sustainable meat consumption. Moreover, potentially it might help marketers to adopt their strategies to suit the nutritional needs of the different genders