Binnu i, Anu adha; M, Rajanikan h
A icle
Consume ism, sus ainable consump ion, and consume
ci izenship in he Indian con ex
Cogen Business & Managemen
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Taylo & F ancis G oup
Sugges ed Ci a ion: Binnu i, Anu adha; M, Rajanikan h (2024) : Consume ism, sus ainable
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Consume ism, sus ainable consump ion, and
consume ci izenship in he Indian con ex
Anu adha Binnu i & Rajanikan h M
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Consume ism, sus ainable consump ion, and consume ci izenship
in he Indian con ex
Anu adha Binnu ia and Rajanikan h Mb
asymbiosis Law school, symbiosis in e na ional (Deemed uni e si y), Pune, india; bgi aM school o Business, gi aM Deemed
o be uni e si y, Hyde abad, india
ABSTRACT
The 20 h cen u y wi nessed a su ge in global economic ac i i ies, which p opelled he
g ow h o he consume mo emen . Un o una ely, his also esul s in he
o e consump ion o na u al esou ces, endange ing he sus ainabili y o socie y, he
economy, and he en i onmen . Consump ion-o ien ed ma ke -d i en ma ke ing
p ac ices encou age unsus ainable p oduc ion and consump ion. Consume s mus
p o ec hei igh s in he ma ke place wi hou nega i ely impac he esou ces o
u u e gene a ions. Consump ion pa e ns in he ma ke lead o deple ion o socie al
esou ces. All human consump ion- ela ed ac i i ies impac he en i onmen ; he e o e,
i is necessa y o change consume alues and li es yles o ensu e ha consump ion
leads o sus ainabili y. Changes in consume s’ a i udes, beha io s, and li es yles owa ds
he en i onmen lead o sus ainable consump ion. A consume ci izen is a consume
who is conscious o socie y and he en i onmen and pu chases p oduc s wi h no
ad e se consequences. In his ega d, his concep ual s udy p oposes consume
ci izenship as a ool o add essing bo h consume p o ec ion and sus ainable consume
issues. Da a we e collec ed om seconda y sou ces. This s udy is limi ed o he Indian
con ex when dealing wi h consume p o ec ion laws and egula ions. The pape
concludes ha consume awa eness and ac i e pa icipa ion a e needed o a
sus ainable u u e, and consume ci izenship can be a be e solu ion o encou age
sus ainable consump ion.
1. In oduc ion
The idea o consume p o ec ion da es back o ancien imes, and is as old as human ci iliza ion
(Rajanikan h, 2017). The exploi a ion o buye s h ough illici p ac ices, such as black ma ke ing, adul e -
a ion, unde weigh , misleading ad e isemen s, p ice hikes, and alse claims, is widesp ead in he ma ke
(Kish wa ia e al., 2004; Siwach & Dahiya, 2009). Consume mo emen , o consume ism, has eme ged as
a se o ini ia i es designed o sa egua d consume s agains such malp ac ices and ensu e ha hey
ecei e p ecise and adequa e in o ma ion om businesses (Day & Aake , 1970; Ubayachand a e al.,
2020). The goals o consume ism align wi h hose o ma ke ing (Ubayachand a e al. 2020). The 20 h
cen u y wi nessed a su ge in economic ac i i ies ac oss he globe, which p opelled he g ow h o he
consume mo emen . Un o una ely, his also esul s in he o e consump ion o na u al esou ces, endan-
ge ing he sus ainabili y o socie y, he economy, and he en i onmen (Su a ia, 2015). Consump ion-o ien ed
ma ke -d i en ma ke ing p ac ices encou age unsus ainable p oduc ion and consump ion p ac ices
(She h & Pa a iya , 2021). Sus ainable consump ion aims o op imize consump ion, balance global ecol-
ogy, mee he needs o u u e gene a ions, and ensu e he su i al o he plane , consequen ly minimiz-
ing ad e se en i onmen al impac s (M oz 2010). Al hough consume ism enhances he posi ion o
consume s in he ma ke place agains ma ke e s (Rajanikan h, 2011), in he long un i has led o unsus-
ainable p ac ices. Howe e , when consume s see hemsel es as ci izens, hey become mo e esponsible
when making pu chasing decisions (McG ego , 1998). Thus, his s udy p oposes a ela ionship among
© 2024 he au ho (s). Published by in o ma uK Limi ed, ading as aylo & F ancis g oup.
CONTACT anu adha Binnu i anu adha.binnu [email protected]; dydi ec[email p o ec ed] symbiosis Law school,Hyde abad Campus, symbiosis
in e na ional (Deemed uni e si y), Pune, india
h ps://doi.o g/10.1080/23311975.2024.2428777
his is an open access a icle dis ibu ed unde he e ms o he C ea i e Commons a ibu ion License (h p://c ea i ecommons.o g/licenses/by/4.0/), which
pe mi s un es ic ed use, dis ibu ion, and ep oduc ion in any medium, p o ided he o iginal wo k is p ope ly ci ed. he e ms on which his a icle has been
published allow he pos ing o he accep ed Manusc ip in a eposi o y by he au ho (s) o wi h hei consen .
ARTICLE HISTORY
Recei ed 19 Decembe 2023
Re ised 6 Sep embe 2024
Accep ed 7 No embe 2024
KEYWORDS
Consume p o ec ion;
consume ci izenship;
g een ma ke ing;
g eenwashing; sus ainable
consump ion
SUBJECTS
Business, Managemen
and Accoun ing; Public
Law; Ci il P ocedu e
MANAGeMeNT | ReSeARCH ARTICLe
2 A. BINNURI AND R. M
consume ism, sus ainable consump ion, and consume ci izenship concep s. This s udy highligh s he
concep s o g een ma ke ing and g een consume ism in he con ex o sus ainabili y. This s udy con-
cludes ha consume ci izenship can mo i a e consume s o p e e sus ainable consump ion.
1.1. Objec i es and me hodology
Consume ism, he consume mo emen ha s a ed o p o ec he igh s o consume s, has some neg-
a i e consequences on socie y and he en i onmen . Sus ainable consump ion is an e ec i e solu ion o
his p oblem. Howe e , i is no easy o p omo e sus ainable consump ion, as consume s mus sac i ice
he ea u es hey p e e in he p oduc s o pay high p ices o hem. This s udy p oposes consume ci -
izenship as a ool o add ess bo h consume p o ec ion and sus ainable consump ion issues. This con-
cep ual pape aims o unde s and hese concep s and hei ela ionships in he exis ing li e a u e. The
da a sou ces included esea ch pape s collec ed om Scopus and Google Schola , epo s om Neilson,
he Minis y o Consume A ai s (2024) (Go e nmen o India), and he Uni ed Na ions websi e. The da a
we e analyzed and a anged o de e mine he ela ionships be ween consume ism, consume ci izenship,
and sus ainable consump ion. Al hough he concep s o consume ci izenship and sus ainable consump-
ion ha e a uni e sal appeal, his s udy is limi ed o he Indian con ex , especially consume p o ec ion
laws and egula ions. This s udy p oposes a model ha depic s he ela ionship be ween consume ism,
sus ainable consump ion, and consume ci izenship.
In he ollowing sec ions, we ou line he concep s o consume ism, he consequences o consume ism,
and sus ainable consump ion and hen in oduce he concep o consume ci izenship as a model o
link hem.
2. Consume p o ec ion
Technically, e e y indi idual is a consume (Mansoo e al. 2022). The co e ac i i ies o he business a e
ocused on consume s and sa is ying hei needs, and consume s o m he la ges economic g oup (Nai ,
2012). e e y consume has he igh o p o ec himsel o he sel om being chea ed. Th ough he legal
amewo k, i is he go e nmen ’s du y o ensu e ai ade and ee low o in o ma ion be ween pa ies
in he ma ke , he eby p o ec ing consume s in he ma ke (Ba be , 1966). Consume p o ec ion laws a e
in ended o cu b audulen and un ai ade p ac ices o businesses by gaining he ad an age o weak
and uno ganized consume s (Sood, 2016). These laws we e c ea ed o de end consume s’ igh s. Consume
igh s a e he basic equi emen s o ou exis ence as consume s. Consume s ha e aised hei dissa is-
ac ion wi h he un ai ade p ac ices o ma ke e s. This dissa is ac ion has led o a mo emen called
consume ism, which o ces ma ke e s and businesses o adop be e business p ac ices and mee con-
sume equi emen s in a mo e sophis ica ed manne (A nd e al., 1980). Unde s anding he concep o
consume ism is necessa y o add ess consume p o ec ion and sus ainable consump ion. The concep o
consume ism gi es consume s ac oss he wo ld he idea ha hey a e de ined by a uni e sal iden i y,
‘consume ’ (Whi man, 2006).
2.1. Consume ism
Consume ism in ol es a ious s akeholde s, such as consume s, consume g oups, consume ep esen a-
i e g oups, and he go e nmen (Onah, 1979). Buski k and Ro he de ined consume ism as ‘ he o ganized
e o o consume s (wha e e he economic sys em hey li e unde ) seeking ed ess, es i u ion, and
emedy o dissa is ac ions hey ha e accumula ed in he acquisi ion o s anda d o li ing’ (Buski k &
Ro he, 1970). Ko le (1971), who conside ed ma ke ing as a social ac i i y, de ined consume ism as ‘a
social mo emen (unde any sys em) whe e buye s seek o augmen hei igh s and powe s in ela ion
o selle s’. Al hough consume ism is conside ed a ma ke ing concep , i s aim is o p o ec consume s’
igh s in he ma ke place (Hima, 2016). Consume ism includes he go e nmen , a he han a public
mo emen alone, in aming he laws p o ec ing consume s in he ma ke place and en o cing hese laws
o p o ec hem om o ganized businesses (Kaynak, 1985). Consume ism was aised in he Uni ed S a es
when P esiden John F Kennedy p oclaimed consume igh s in he 1960s (Rajanikan h 2011). Pa icipa ion
COGeNT BUSINeSS & MANAGeMeNT 3
o he go e nmen and o he s akeholde s in c ea ing awa eness among di e en consume g oups c e-
a es he bene i s o consume ism in socie y (Ve i el & Mohanasunda i, 2011). These include he igh o
sa e y, igh o be in o med, igh o choose, igh o be hea d, igh o seek ed essal, and igh o
consume educa ion (Minis y o Consume A ai s, India). Consume s’ knowledge and unde s anding o
hei igh s in he ma ke place a e conside ed consume awa eness. Awa eness makes he consume
make an in o med decision ela ed o his o he pu chase, and he consume can assess he company
and i s p oduc s o se ices. This leads o consume sa is ac ion, which is he ul ima e goal o ma ke ing.
Mo eo e , when consume s a e unsa is ied wi h a p oduc , hey can seek ed ess. Thus, consume
awa eness is key o he success o consume ism and p o ec ion (Makanyeza e al., 2021). Howe e , in he
changing con ex o he ma ke place, along wi h igh s, consume esponsibili ies mus be included in
consume awa eness and mo emen .
2.2. Consume p o ec ion in mode n days
Globaliza ion, en i onmen al conce ns, and e-comme ce ha e become essen ial playe s in consume p o-
ec ion (Maye , 2012).
Using he In e ne as a ma ke ing channel has e olu ionized how consume s shop and asse hei
igh s (Yani-de-So iano & Sla e , 2009). Mode n businesses ha e in eg a ed e-comme ce in o hei ope -
a ions o ca e o he needs o bo h buye s and selle s, esul ing in educed cos s and imp o ed speed
and quali y o ansac ions (Panjai an e al. 2020). Howe e , his shi owa ds e-comme ce has c ea ed a
powe imbalance, lea ing consume s in a weake ba gaining posi ion han selle s. Consequen ly, he
need o obus consume p o ec ion measu es has become a c i ical issue (Panjai an e al. 2020). The
ise o e-comme ce has acili a ed c oss-bo de ansac ions, posing a signi ican challenge o egula o s
in ensu ing adequa e consume p o ec ion (Goyens, 2020). A he global le el, e-comme ce g ow h has
p omp ed he p io i iza ion o consume ism as a p ima y objec i e o he law, as i poses se e al
consume - ela ed challenges ha equi e legal in e en ion. De egula ion o a ious economic sec o s
has compounded hese challenges. Addi ionally, he e has been a pa adigm shi om adi ional
b ick-and-mo a businesses o online e-comme ce, esul ing in a hos o new issues and h ea s o con-
sume p o ec ion such as changes in wo king p ocedu es and business p ocesses. Consume ism has neg-
a i e consequences on socie y and he en i onmen .
2.3. Nega i e impac s o consume ism
As consume s anda ds and expec a ions ha e isen, ad anced coun ies ha e displayed inc eased dis-
con en wi h hei p oduc s and se ices. Consume ism, which o igina ed in he Wes and u ged busi-
nesses o conside he conce ns o consume s and go e nmen , has con ibu ed o his end (Rajanikan h
2011). As li ing s anda ds ha e imp o ed and people ha e become mo e exposed o media and in e -
na ional a el, de eloping coun ies ha e adop ed he philosophy (Gaedeke & Udo-Aka, 1974).
Consume ism has been an o e whelming desi e o he usage o p oduc s and se ices beyond an indi-
idual’s ac ual needs. Many a gue ha consume ism is a social and economic p inciple ha mo i a es
people o aspi e o consume mo e han hei ai sha e o he wo ld’s esou ces ega dless o i s conse-
quences. Consume ism mo i a es consume s o sa is y hei needs wi h ma e ial hings, and his consum-
e ism is due o he insecu i ies ha consume s ha e in hei minds. Consume s eel ha hese p oduc s
c ea e a new sel ha hey wan o be; howe e , his sel is unsus ainable (McG ego , 2002; Am illah,
2024). P e ious s udies on consume ism ha e explo ed i s nega i e consequences and ound ha con-
sume ism encou ages consume s o u ilize mo e esou ces han equi ed, which leads o en i onmen al
pollu ion (Chuchu e al., 2020). This beha io ul ima ely deple es na u al esou ces and c ea es a bu den
o u u e gene a ions. Some es ima es indica e ha sa is ying cu en demand equi es he esou ces o
1.7 plane s, highligh ing he ex en o he p oblem (Collins e al., 2020; Am illah, 2024). The wo ld pop-
ula ion is expec ed o each 9.6 billion by 2050, and he esou ces equi ed o his popula ion will no
be a ailable on ea h i consump ion con inues in such a manne . Sus ainable consump ion is a po en ial
solu ion o issues ela ed o o e consump ion and esou ce deple ion (Tanne & Wöl ing Kas , 2003).
4 A. BINNURI AND R. M
3. Sus ainable consump ion
The concep o consump ion has e ol ed beyond he me e u iliza ion o ma e ial goods and se ices o
mee one’s needs. I has now become a measu e o he s anda d o li ing, an indica ion o social class,
and a means o indi iduals o exp ess hei iden i ies (Zalega, 2019), leading o he deple ion o socie al
esou ces. All human ac i i ies ela ed o consump ion impac he en i onmen ; he e o e, i is necessa y
o change consume alues and li es yles o ensu e ha consump ion leads o sus ainabili y (Kanie &
Bie mann, 2017). Changes in consume s’ a i udes, beha io s, and li es yles owa d he en i onmen lead
o sus ainable consump ion (Moisande & Pesonen, 2002). As p e iously men ioned, sus ainable con-
sump ion is an e ec i e solu ion. Sus ainable consump ion is de ined as ‘ he use o se ices and ela ed
p oduc s ha espond o basic needs and b ing a be e quali y o li e while minimizing he use o
na u al esou ces and oxic ma e ials, as well as he emission o was e and pollu an s o e he li ecycle
so as no o jeopa dize he needs o u u e gene a ions’ (eSCAP, 2016). The wo king de ini ion o sus ain-
able consump ion was o icially adop ed by he Uni ed Na ions in 1995.
Consume ism plays a c ucial ole in es ablishing legal and adminis a i e s uc u es o sa egua d con-
sume s’ in e es s. Howe e , i has also aced c i icism o p io i izing consump ion o e consume
well-being, esul ing in e osion o human ela ionships and happiness (Csikszen mihalyi, 2000; Kasse &
Ryan, 2001). Fu he mo e, he ise in consume ism has led o excessi e ma ke ing, con ibu ing o une h-
ical ma ke ing p ac ices. Addi ionally, mode n p oduc ion, packaging, and logis ics ha e de ached he
bene i s o he p oduc s hemsel es, allowing consume s o pu chase de ices wi hou eaping hei ben-
e i s (Abela, 2006). This has a nega i e impac on bo h consume s and he en i onmen . The impac o
en i onmen al issues on an indi idual’s su i al is e iden , and i is clea ha human ac i i y is he p i-
ma y cause o en i onmen al damage. Howe e , i is possible o sa egua d he en i onmen i people
become awa e o he nega i e consequences o hei consump ion habi s (Walle -Hun e 1994). Since
1985, he e has been a g owing ocus on he ela ionship be ween economic and social de elopmen ,
and en i onmen al sus ainabili y. This has led o an inc ease in discussions o sus ainable consump ion.
A he 1992 ea h Summi in Rio, an en i e chap e was dedica ed o unde s anding he links be ween
p oduc ion pa e ns, consump ion, and sus ainabili y, which esul ed in he es ablishmen o he
Commission on Sus ainable De elopmen (UN Guidelines). In 1999, he Commission expanded i s con-
sume p o ec ion guidelines o encompass sus ainable consump ion wi hou comp omising p ima y
consume p o ec ion (Ben ley, 2005). The Uni ed Na ions Guidelines o Consume P o ec ion we e e ised
o include sus ainable consump ion, and go e nmen s we e cha ged wi h he esponsibili y o de elop-
ing and implemen ing s a egies o p omo e sus ainable consump ion as pe he Uni ed Na ions guide-
lines. P omo ing sus ainable consump ion is one aspec ha membe s o he Uni ed Na ions ha e ag eed
o implemen as pa o hei legal sys em o p o ec consume s (Yuani asa i e al., 2023). Go e nmen s,
businesses, and o he s akeholde s should de elop economic and social policies and egula ions. I can
de elop sec o -speci ic policies, such as land use, ene gy, and p og ams, o aise awa eness among con-
sume g oups and cu b unsus ainable consump ion p ac ices (Cha e jee & Sahoo, 2011). Acco ding o
A icle 21 o he Indian Cons i u ion, ‘ he S a e, in e alia, o p o ec li e, which is cons ued as including
he igh o a heal hy and sa e en i onmen ’. A sa e and heal hy en i onmen leads o sus ainable con-
sump ion (Cha e jee & Sahoo, 2011). I is he esponsibili y o businesses, go e nmen s, and consume s
o in eg a e sus ainable consump ion (Michaelis 2003). The enac men o The Consume P o ec ion Ac
2019 also c ea ed a scope o elooking he in e ela ed aspec s o consume p o ec ion, sus ainable
consump ion, and e-consume p o ec ion. The Ad e ising S anda ds Council o India (ASCI, 2020) guide-
lines speci y he s anda ds and conside a ions equi ed o ad e ising and p ohibi s alse claims. This
p ohibi s alse claims in he ad e isemen s. Al hough go e nmen s ha e policies and p ocedu es o eg-
ula e ma ke p ac ices, i is he esponsibili y o consume s o seek sus ainable consump ion. G een con-
sume ism can help o p o ec consume igh s by ocusing on he en i onmen .
3.1. G een consume ism
Acco ding o he guidelines issued by he Uni ed Na ions on sus ainable consump ion, e e y coun y
mus adop i s own policy amewo k o he nex ew yea s, as well as sus ainable managemen and
COGeNT BUSINeSS & MANAGeMeNT 5
e icien use o na u al esou ces by 2030. Sus ainable p ac ices should ocus on educing, eusing, and
ecycling esou ces (Abela 2006). As consume s’ awa eness o sus ainable consump ion is inc easing, i
has been obse ed ha hey ha e s a ed exhibi ing g een beha io s, p e e ing o buy g een p oduc s
ha ha e less impac on he en i onmen , which causes sys emic policy changes ha lead o a g ea e
bene i o he en i onmen (Sachde a e al., 2015). This may be e med g een consume ism, which
in ol es consume s p omo ing and implemen ing sus ainable consump ion by pu pose ully igno ing
p oduc s and se ices ha ha e a nega i e impac on socie y (Singh, 1997). Thus, g een consume ism
can be de ined as ‘a consump ion pa e n wi h en i onmen al consciousness (Singh, 1997) ’.
Al hough g een consume ism ocuses only on consume s’ p ime conce ns ega ding he en i onmen ,
conscious consump ion ocuses on b oade aspec s. Conscious consump ion is de ined as ‘ he mo i a-
ional p ocess by which indi iduals s i e o imp o e hei social s anding h ough conspicuous con-
sump ion o consume p oduc s ha con e o s a us o bo h he indi idual and su ounding o he s’
(eas man e al., 1999). A conscious consume conside s sus ainabili y, social jus ice, co po a e social
esponsibili y, and wo ke s’ igh s when buying a p oduc (Shukla & Chand a, 2022). Conscious consump-
ion some imes includes boyco ing p oduc s and b ands ha a e no en i onmen iendly. Ma ke e s
can in luence consume consump ion p ac ices h ough hei ac i i ies. Ma ke e s ha e e en begun o
deba e he implica ions o ma ke ing o sus ainabili y, leading o he concep o g een ma ke ing.
3.2. G een ma ke ing
Du ing he 1970s, he concep o ecological ma ke ing was popula ized wi h a conce n o de eloping
new echnologies o alle ia e en i onmen al p oblems (Pea ie & Cha e , 2003). G een ma ke ing, which
is an ex ension o ecological ma ke ing, in eg a es bo h ecological and social ma ke ing concep s (Pea ie
& Cha e , 2003). I can be de ined as ‘The holis ic managemen p ocess esponsible o iden i ying, an ic-
ipa ing, and sa is ying he needs o cus ome s and socie y in a p o i able and sus ainable way’ (Pea ie
& Cha e , 2003). As consume s become conscious o he en i onmen and sus ainabili y, companies a e
o ced o manu ac u e p oduc s ha a e good o he sus ainabili y o socie y. To encash consume s’
sus ainabili y consciousness, companies a e p oducing and di e en ia ing hei p oduc s om hose o
hei i als wi h he claim o being en i onmen ally iendly p oduc s. They a ac consume s h ough
a ious media and social media pla o ms, using wo ds like ‘sus ainabili y, eco- iendly, biodeg adable,
e c’. (Delcea e al., 2019). Some companies spend millions o imes po aying hei p oduc s as eco- iendly,
which is no he case (Lukino ić & Jo ano ić, 2019).
Consume s and in es o s who wan o in es in a company’s sha es ely on ad e isemen s o make
hei choices. This led o g een washing. G eenwashing is de ined as ‘a ac ic o public ela ions in ol ing
a company p esen ing i sel as mo e en i onmen ally conscious han i is in p ac ice’ (Hil on, 2023).
Companies highligh sus ainable p ac ices, which a e a small pa o hei o e all ac i i ies ha a e ha m-
ul o he en i onmen , o a ac consume s who p e e g een p oduc s (Adamkiewicz e al., 2022).
Companies in indus ies such as he ashion indus y use eco-labelling o ce i ica ion o claim ha hei
p oduc s a e sus ainable (Adamkiewicz e al., 2022). G eenwashing p e ails as he numbe o consume s
who p e e en i onmen iendly and eco- iendly p oduc s inc eases. The e exis s a consume in en ion–
beha io gap, as consume s p e end o be p o-en i onmen al bu ha e limi ed knowledge and lack o
idea abou he en i onmen al conce ns o he p oduc s, along wi h high sea ching cos s and economic
aspec s ela ed o g een p oduc s (Rausch & Kopplin, 2021). The e o e, g eenwashing is a signi ican chal-
lenge o bo h consume ism and sus ainable consump ion.
3.3. Role o ma ke e s in enhancing sus ainable consump ion
When i comes o he consump ion o sus ainable p oduc s, esponsible consume s always ha e an obli-
ga ion owa d he en i onmen ; howe e a he same ime, hey need cla i ica ion on how o ac
(Connolly & P o he o, 2008). Ma ke e s a e esponsible o add essing consume s’ unease by p omo ing
sus ainabili y in hei p oduc campaigns.
As pa o his segmen a ion, ma ke e s mus iden i y g een consume segmen s and design sus ain-
able p oduc s (Ande son & Cunningham, 1972; Kilbou ne & Beckmann, 1998). Howe e , ma ke e s mus
6 A. BINNURI AND R. M
expand hese ma ke s o be mu ually bene icial o o ganiza ions and he en i onmen . Ma ke e s mus
c ea e and o e p oduc s and p epa e consume s o ecognize, emb ace, and ewa d hei sus ainable
alues o maximize sus ainabili y and he i m’s p o i s (Whi e e al., 2019). I was obse ed ha , e en
hough consume s a e p o-en i onmen al, hei ac ions do no e lec he same. This poses a challenge
o ma ke e s p omo ing sus ainable consump ion. To encou age sus ainable consump ion beha io s,
Whi e e al. (2019) iden i ied ac o s such as social in luence, habi o ma ion, he indi idual sel , eelings,
cogni ion, and angibili y (SHIFT), which need o be encou aged.
Companies ha ocus on sus ainabili y mus wo k wi h local o ganiza ions o egula e pe sonal con-
sump ion p ac ices, along wi h o he p ac ices ha c ea e a ou ine o sus ainable consump ion p ac ices
(Connolly & P o he o, 2008).
A sus ainable ma ke ing o ien a ion ha ocuses on he long- e m e ec s on social, economic, and
en i onmen al conce ns is equi ed o companies. When companies ocus on ac ical and ope a ional
cos -cu ing a he han long- e m alue o ien a ion, hey end o lose compa ibili y wi h sus ainable
goals (Van Dam, 2016). Companies ha e a sus ainable iden i y o mo i a e sus ainable consump ion
p ac ices among consume s. Businesses mus es ablish hei sus ainabili y ocus and e o s and design
and launch hei ma ke ing communica ions acco dingly. P omo ing sus ainable ini ia i es h ough p ope
ma ke ing communica ion is essen ial o encou aging sus ainable consump ion (Bagda e, 2018; Ka &
Ha ichandan, 2022). Ma ke e s need o p omo e g een ma ke ing inno a ions, such as sus ainable pack-
aging and he e ec i e ecycling o p oduc s, o make consume s use sus ainable p oduc s. I has been
obse ed ha cus ome s a e mo e inclined owa ds p oduc s ha align wi h hei eelings o sus ainabil-
i y (Ka & Ha ichandan, 2022). A special di ision wi h people o ien ed owa ds sus ainabili y and sus ain-
able consump ion can be c ea ed o communica e co ec ly wi h he a ge cus ome s. Ma ke ing
communica ion can ocus on sensi izing, amilia izing, incen i izing, and ecognizing a company’s sus ain-
able ini ia i es o make consume s mo e esponsible owa ds he en i onmen and sus ainabili y (Bagda e,
2018). Communica ion can ocus on he lack o sus ainabili y in he p oduc s ins ead o labeling, as i
mo i a es consume s o a oid p oduc s ha a e non-sus ainable and ein o ce sus ainable consump ion
(Van Dam, 2016). Howe e , sus ainable consump ion assumes ha changes in li es yle and indi idual
consump ion ac i i ies can lead o sus ainable consump ion. Thus, sus ainable consump ion is he
esponsibili y o indi idual ci izens (Melo, 2009), and can be achie ed h ough consume ci izenship.
4. Consume ci izenship
As s a ed ea lie , consume p o ec ion and sus ainable consump ion go hand-in-hand in oday’s global
ma ke place. Buye s, selle s, and he go e nmen ha e come o hink abou mee ing he needs and
wan s o he p esen gene a ion wi hou comp omising he needs and wan s o u u e gene a ions. I
includes sa egua ding he consume om he un ai ade p ac ices o he selle and c ea ing awa eness
abou sus ainabili y among common consume s. The Uni ed Na ions Guidelines o Consume P o ec ion
and Sus ainable Consump ion o m he basis o he enhancemen o he Consume P o ec ion Ac in
India. The Consume P o ec ion Ac 2019 came in o en o cemen on 20 Jul. 2020. The new Ac add esses
e-comme ce issues, p oduc liabili y, sa e y, and dispensing consume jus ice h ough al e na i e ed es-
sal mechanisms (Nomani e al., 2019). Nielsen (2015) obse ed ha wo in e e y h ee consume s a e
willing o pay mo e i a p oduc o se ice is sus ainable. Abou h ee- ou hs o consume s we e eady
o change hei consump ion habi s o educe he en i onmen al impac , and mo e han 80 pe cen o
consume s opined ha co po a ions should change hei ac i i ies o help he en i onmen imp o e
(Nielsen, 2017). This shows ha consume consciousness o he en i onmen is g owing, and go e n-
men s mus ocus on policies and egula ions p omo ing sus ainable consump ion (Bolla e al., 2009).
As sus ainable consump ion some imes equi es indi iduals o sac i ice pe sonal choices agains en i-
onmen al conce ns, he consume ’s ole as a ci izen comes o he o e on . The concep o consume
ci izenship a ose so ha consume s had o ul ill hei du ies, oles, and esponsibili ies in he ma ke -
place. Consume ci izenship is de ined as ‘an indi idual making choices based on e hical, social, eco-
nomic, and ecological conside a ions. Consume ci izens ac i ely con ibu e o main aining jus and
sus ainable de elopmen by ca ing and ac ing esponsibly on amily, na ional, and global le els’ (Tho esen,
2005). The ocus o he consume ci izens is on en i onmen al p o ec ion, social esponsibili y, and labo
COGeNT BUSINeSS & MANAGeMeNT 7
secu i y while making a nay pu chase (Ricci e al., 2016). Consume ci izenship has gained momen um
in India since he economic e o ms s a ed in 1991 (Khan, 2021). Comme cial ad e isemen s p omo e
eedom and choice o consume ism a he han enabling ci izens’ igh s and esponsibili ies (Khan,
2021). Consume ci izenship also ocuses on social inequali ies, alongside he issues o a capi alis ic soci-
e y in India (Ba iska , 2018).
4.1. Consume ci izenship o sus ainable consump ion
Consume ci izenship is conside ed poli ical oolki o consume ism, which enhances he pa icipa ion o
many consume s in he consume mo emen (Connolly & P o he o, 2008; Sou he on e al., 2004). e e y
pu chase a consume makes, o he/she is cas ing his o e in he main enance o he ma ke (Lang &
Gab iel, 1995) di ec ly and sus ainabili y indi ec ly. A he same ime, Lang and Gab iel de ined a ci izen
as ‘a esponsible consume , a socially awa e consume , and a consume who hinks ahead and empe s
his o he desi es by social awa eness, a consume whose ac ions mus be mo ally de ensible and who
mus occasionally be p epa ed o sac i ice pe sonal pleasu e o communal well-being’ (Lang & Gab iel,
1995). Mos consump ion pa e ns a e hidden and embedded in indi idual ou ine and no ma i e p ac-
ices and a e cons i u ed h ough sel - e lexi e ac ions. They a e go e ned by no ms and con en ions
ha a e a pa o li e. The e o e, i is necessa y o ake ac ion beyond p o iding mo e op ions and in o -
ma ion o con e he indi idual o ien a ion owa ds sus ainable consump ion (Sou he on e al., 2004).
Consume ism has made people pu chase goods and se ices ha elease ha m ul chemicals and plas ics
in o he en i onmen (Am illah, 2024). The commi men o he people is equi ed o sus ainable g ow h,
and e e y indi idual mus be awa e ha esponsible consump ion will lead o he su i al o u u e
gene a ions (Mensah, 2019). A s udy conduc ed in Japan and Ko ea showed ha consume s a e awa e
o sus ainable ac i i ies, e en hough hei sel -concep is di e en (Lim e al., 2019). Howe e , only a
small p opo ion o consume s conside mo e sus ainable o ms o consump ion, while o he consume s
a e s uck in hei ou ines. Mo eo e , changing ou ines can enhance sus ainable consump ion p ac ices
in any socie y.
Indi iduals need o eel like hey a e consume ci izens, and his p ocess o lea ning o be a consume
ci izen is a li e ime p ocess, as hey need o be conscien ious and socially esponsible o e e y pu chase
hey make in hei li e ime. (McG ego , 1998) A consume can shape a ma ke place, like a ci izen pa ic-
ipa ing in ci ic a ai s and shaping socie y. People can make a di e ence only when hey de elop a sense
o communi y o igh agains eelings o powe lessness and disconnec edness as consume s in shaping
new ci izens (Be man, 1990). Thus, consume ci izenship aligns wi h consume ism, which has oo s in
enhancing consume s agains o ganized ma ke e s. Consume ci izens a e ac i ely engaged in socie al
g ow h and ad ancemen because hey ha e e hical pe spec i es, plu ali y o iews, and conside a ion
o he u u e in e e y pu chase and ansac ion hey make. These consume ci izens sa egua d hei pe -
sonal well-being and ake ca e o he well-being o socie y a la ge. This has led o he concep called
‘Consume Social Responsibili y (CnSR)’. I is de ined as ‘ he applica ion o ins umen al, ela ional, and
mo al logic by indi iduals, g oups, and co po a e and ins i u ional agen s seeking o in luence a b oad
ange o consume -o ien ed esponsibili ies’ (Ca uana & Cha zidakis, 2014). I b oadens consume s’ u ili y
beyond adi ional ac o s, such as p ice, con enience, and a ailabili y, and includes social issues, such as
ai ness, jus ice, igh s, i ue, and sus ainabili y.
e hics a e he basis o consume s o ac as esponsible ci izens. The consume mus be awa e o he
choices and consequences be o e making any pu chase (Ricci e al., 2016) as a consume ci izen, and
eels himsel /he sel a ci izen who is awa e ha he pu chasing decision will ha e an impac on o he
consume s, ci izens, and he en i onmen as a whole (McG ego , 2002). Consume awa eness o sus ain-
able consump ion ocuses on e hical aspec s so ha consume s ac mo e esponsibly while buying,
using, and disposing o he p oduc . A consume ’s awa eness o his/he esponsibili ies is as impo an
as his/he igh s as a consume . A consume ci izen is also awa e o he global implica ions o he choices
hey make and should ha e plane a y esponsibili ies as a consume ci izen. This enhances consume s’
esponsibili y o li e, spend, and use p oduc s. I connec s he consume wi h he es o socie y and
en i onmen and makes he consume li e wi h a sense o mo ali y. (McG ego , 2002) Consume ci izens
ocus on hei pu chases and in luence o he consume s o buy sus ainable p oduc s (Ricci e al., 2016).
