Measuring young consumers’ sustainable consumption behavior: development and validation of the YCSCB scale

Abstract

Promoting sustainable consumption among young consumers has become a key priority on the research agenda in such different fields as education for sustainable development, environmental psychology, and consumer policy. Progress in this field has been hampered by a lack of sophisticated research instruments capable of measuring consumption behaviors that are relevant both in terms of their sustainability impacts and their suitability for teenagers. This study addresses this research gap and presents a scale for young consumers' sustainable consumption behaviors (YCSCB) in the areas of food and clothing. Design/methodology/approach The scale was developed in a two-step, mixed-methods approach. In an initial qualitative interview study, the actual behaviors of theoretically selected young consumers (n=8) were identified with regard to acquiring, using, and disposing of consumer goods in the areas of food and clothing. The YCSCB scale was constructed using the findings of this qualitative study and then validated in a subsequent quantitative study (n=155). Findings The YCSCB scale is a valid and reliable scale to measure young consumers' sustainable consumption behavior in the areas of food (n=14 items) and clothing (n=13 items). Originality/value The findings of this research provide a twofold contribution to advancing research on young consumers' sustainable consumption behaviors. Firstly, it presents a consolidated scale that is explicitly constructed for teenagers and their consumption contexts. Secondly, it proposes a heuristic for developing more sophisticated measurements of SCB among young consumers that would allow comparison between studies, is focused on behaviors (instead of confounding behaviors with intentions, attitudes or values), and is impact-oriented in terms of sustainability relevance.

Analysis of the Consciousness of University Undergraduates for Sustainable Consumption

“…Therefore, even if the thoughts and consciousness of Spanish undergraduates about their consumption could be observed, the real consumption of these early consumers was not measured. Although some authors have measured and developed the sustainable consumption behavior of young consumers [110,111], future research about the real consumption undertaken by these undergraduates would be necessary to observe if there is a real link between consciousness and reality.…”

The Tipping Point in the Status of Socially Responsible Consumer Behavior Research? A Bibliometric Analysis

“…The journals that published the most articles in the field were the Journal of Business Ethics (40 documents; see Table A3), the International Journal of Consumer Studies (15), Sustainability (8), Social Responsibility Journal (7), European Journal of Marketing (6), Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics (6), and the Journal of Marketing Management (6).…”

“…The most productive thematic areas during the last 30 years have been: (a) Research into consumer attitude, (b) research on CSR, and (c) research on social and sustainable consumption behavior. In response to calls for greater theoretical clarification of the SRCB discipline, the authors providing experts and novices with a better understanding of the current state of the art and suggest future research directions.Sustainability 2020, 12, 3141 2 of 23 responsible consumption [5][6][7][8], socially responsible investments [9,10], the impact of sustainable production/products [11][12][13][14][15], and even from the consumerism viewpoint [14][15][16][17][18], to name some examples. Ten years ago, Eckhardt et al [19] stated that, although there was great expectation around the concept of responsible or ethical consumption, real consumer behavior was discouraging.The present study investigates how socially responsible consumer behavior (SRCB) research has advanced, focusing on the key issues it has addressed, given the importance it has as a market driver, in the paradigm of our current consumer society.…”

“…Sustainability 2020, 12, 3141 2 of 23 responsible consumption [5][6][7][8], socially responsible investments [9,10], the impact of sustainable production/products [11][12][13][14][15], and even from the consumerism viewpoint [14][15][16][17][18], to name some examples. Ten years ago, Eckhardt et al [19] stated that, although there was great expectation around the concept of responsible or ethical consumption, real consumer behavior was discouraging.…”

Mindfulness Training at School: A Way to Engage Adolescents with Sustainable Consumption?

“…Sustainable consumption behavior (SCB) in the areas of nutrition and clothing was assessed using the Young Consumers' Sustainable Consumption Behavior (YCSCB) scale [49] that is based on the cube model of SCB [3]. The nutrition subscale spans 14 items (Cronbach's α = 0.77; e.g., "I buy organic food products.…”