Limited, considered and sustainable consumption: The (non)consumption practices of UK minimalists

Abstract

Minimalism is an increasingly popular lifestyle movement in western economies (predominantly in the USA, Japan and Europe) that involves voluntarily reducing consumption and limiting one’s possessions to a bare minimum. This is with the intention of making space for the ‘important’ (potentially immaterial) things that are seen to add meaning and value to one’s life. Drawing on interviews with minimalists in the UK, this article reveals that minimalists practice sustainable (non)consumption via limiting their consumption. This is achieved by actively buying less, using up and maintaining what is owned, and, when objects are acquired, only practising highly intentional, considered and (sometimes) ethical consumption. For some, such practices are predominantly based on strong ethical and environmental motivations or are seen as a positive ‘by-product’ of their minimalist lifestyles. Whilst for others, their motivations are primarily aligned to personal well-being. The article subsequently argues that the limited and considered practices of minimalist consumption can be seen as sustainable practices in outcome, if not always in intent.

Sürdürülebilir Tüketimde Yeniden Amaçlandırmanın Görsellerle Anlamlandırılması

“…Sürdürülebilir tüketim kalıplarını içeren daha sürdürülebilir bir yaşam tarzı tek kullanımlık plastik tüketimini azaltmak, çevresel olarak sürdürülebilir ve etik uygulamaları/değerleri olan markaları seçmek, satın alınan yeni ürünleri azaltmak, et/hayvansal gıdaların tüketimini azaltmak, yenilenebilir enerji kaynakları/ ürünlere geçmek, mevsimsel ve yerel ürünler almak, etik/sürdürülebilirlikle alakalı endişelerle bazı markaları satın almayı bırakmak gibi çabalar içermektedir (Deloitte, 2021). Tüketicilerin tüketimlerini kısıtlamaları ve önceliklendirmeleri, etik ve sürdürülebilir ürünleri tercih etmeleri, geri dönüşüm, onarım, yeniden kullanma, azaltma ve almama davranışları sürdürülebilir tüketim uygulamaları arasında yer alır (Martin-Woodhead, 2021).…”

Marketing ethics education and consumer wisdom: conceptualizing the relationship

“…This helps them get closer to their envisioned pictures of conscious lifestyles that are built on a foundation of ethical and responsible behavior (Jung et al. , 2016; Martin-Woodhead, 2021) which also taps on “responsibility” (Luchs et al. , 2021; Ozanne et al.…”

“…For example, this is evident in consumers' shift in their consumption patterns through substituting conventional products with eco-friendly alternatives (Mansoor and Paul, 2022;Mehta and Chahal, 2021). This helps them get closer to their envisioned pictures of conscious lifestyles that are built on a foundation of ethical and responsible behavior (Jung et al, 2016;Martin-Woodhead, 2021) which also taps on "responsibility" (Luchs et al, 2021;Ozanne et al, 2021). Furthermore, consumers with virtuous and moral norms tend to experience positive emotions as a result of their green consumption behavior for instance (Rezvani et al, 2018).…”

Sustainable Consumption Using the Example of Food Processing in a Restaurant

“…According to their modelling analysis, the six factors can promote the following sustainable consumption practices: (1) the cultivation of sustainable consumption awareness, (2) the government's role in modelling, (3) a set of laws, regulations, and policies, (4) a thorough action plan for sustainable consumption, (5) the insistence of businesses and consumers on sustainable production and consumption, and (6) the concerted efforts of various stakeholders. Moreover, standardisation leads to a differentiation of lifestyles not only in the restaurant business but also among individuals, such as well-being, consistent minimalism in consumption [54], and online shopping [55]. Nevertheless, government interventions [56] could help to achieve "green" outcomes [57].…”

“…Sensory studies in consumer science have focused on foods that are considered sustainable (e.g., organic, sustainably grown, and meat alternatives) and aspects that contribute to sustainability (e.g., shelf life, consumption of fruits and vegetables, and unfamiliar foods). The idea for this research is to design a sensory analysis of ready-to-eat foods that target six necessary changes that can increase the contribution of the studied disciplines to sustainable consumption [51,54] and communication between companies, consumers, and theory [58][59][60].…”