Encouraging Sustainable Purchase and Consumption: Identification of Core Approaches

Despite the increasing concerns about sustainability and numerous calls for the emergency to encourage pro-environmental behaviour, it is paradoxical why consumers are still ignoring green alternatives when shopping. Part of the problem reflects the fact that market share of green products is still very low, even when companies claim sustainable and pro-environmental production. A further challenge reflects the “intention-behaviour gap”, i.e. discrepancy between what consumers think and what they actually do concerning green purchasing. Although researchers questioned this gap in sustainable consumption, results are dispersed across different studies and are not univocal. Therefore, identification of approaches that narrow the consumer intention-behaviour gap for sustainable goods and services is urgently required.