TY - JOUR A1 - Hüttel, Alexandra A1 - Ziesemer, Florence A1 - Peyer, Mathias A1 - Balderjahn, Ingo T1 - To purchase or not? BT - Why consumers make economically (non-)sustainable consumption choices JF - Journal of Cleaner Production N2 - Although ecologically and socially responsible consumption helps to reduce the harmful effects of resource use for both nature and society, all types of consumption (whether green or fair) deplete valuable resources. At the same time, to maintain household financial sustainability, spending should not exceed a household's financial resources. Thus, economically sustainable consumption is related to the consumer's decision to not buy products and the disposition to forgo specific purchases. Based on a means-end chain approach, this study investigates consumer cognitive decision-making structures related to six distinct options for economically (non-)sustainable consumption. Whereas saving motives, waste concerns, and avoidance motivations support economically sustainable decisions, economically non-sustainable decision-making is directly linked to attaining overall life goals. By clustering respondents based on the elicited means-end chains, the study discloses four consumer groups with distinctive motivational structures. The study also reveals several obstacles to promoting economic sustainability, indicates methods to overcome such obstacles, and suggests avenues for future research. KW - Economically sustainable consumption KW - Consumer decision-making KW - Means-end chain theory KW - Collaborative consumption KW - Voluntary simplicity KW - Frugal consumption Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.11.019 SN - 0959-6526 SN - 1879-1786 VL - 174 SP - 827 EP - 836 PB - Elsevier CY - Oxford ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Ziesemer, Florence A1 - Hüttel, Alexandra A1 - Balderjahn, Ingo T1 - Young people as drivers or inhibitors of the sustainability movement BT - the case of anti-consumption JF - Journal of consumer policy : consumer issues in law, economics and behavioural sciences N2 - As overconsumption has negative effects on ecological balance, social equality, and individual well-being, reducing consumption levels among the materially affluent is an emerging strategy for sustainable development. Today's youth form a crucial target group for intervening in unsustainable overconsumption habits and for setting the path and ideas on responsible living. This article explores young people's motivations for engaging in three behavioural patterns linked to anti-consumption (voluntary simplicity, collaborative consumption, and living within one's means) in relation to sustainability. Applying a qualitative approach, laddering interviews reveal the consequences and values behind the anti-consumption behaviours of young people of ages 14 to 24 according to a means-end chains analysis. The findings highlight potential for and the challenges involved in motivating young people to reduce material levels of consumption for the sake of sustainability. Related consumer policy tools from the fields of education and communication are identified. This article provides practical implications for policy makers, activists, and educators. Consumer policies may strengthen anti-consumption among young people by addressing individual benefits, enabling reflection on personal values, and referencing credible narratives. The presented insights can help give a voice to young consumers, who struggle to establish themselves as key players in shaping the future consumption regime. KW - Voluntary simplicity KW - Collaborative consumption KW - Sustainable KW - consumption KW - Means-end chain analysis KW - Laddering interviews KW - Youth Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s10603-021-09489-x SN - 0168-7034 SN - 1573-0700 VL - 44 IS - 3 SP - 427 EP - 453 PB - Springer CY - New York ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hüttel, Alexandra A1 - Balderjahn, Ingo T1 - The coronavirus pandemic BT - a window of opportunity for sustainable consumption or a time of turning away? JF - The Journal of consumer affairs N2 - As a means to preserve present and future generations' living conditions, sustainable consumption presents a route to the enhanced well-being of individuals. However, the occurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic raises the question of whether society is going to continue down a path of increased awareness of sustainable consumption or whether the pandemic will move people to focus more on themselves. Based on data gathered before and near the end of the first pandemic lockdown in Germany in spring 2020, this research demonstrates that ecological, social, and voluntary simplicity consciousness deteriorated in the minds of sustainability-conscious consumers, with notable impacts on their willingness to spend sustainably and their shopping affinity. Furthermore, we identify segments that show particular vulnerability to the lockdown by reacting with a decrease in their ecological consumption consciousness. This study concludes with a discussion of the pandemic's implications for the spread of sustainable consumption styles and human well-being. KW - coronavirus pandemic KW - intervention study KW - sustainable consumption KW - well-being Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/joca.12419 SN - 1745-6606 VL - 56 IS - 1 SP - 68 EP - 96 PB - Wiley CY - Hoboken ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hüttel, Alexandra A1 - Balderjahn, Ingo A1 - Hoffmann, Stefan T1 - Welfare beyond consumption BT - the benefits of having less JF - Ecological economics N2 - In developed regions worldwide, so-called anti-consumers are increasingly resisting high-level consumption lifestyles or shifting to alternative forms of consumption. A general reduction in consumption levels is considered necessary to attain global sustainability goals. However, knowledge regarding the factors driving people to deliberately consume less and how anti-consumption affects individuals' well-being is limited. Against this background, this study considers the influence of human values and the well-being effects of two types of anti-consumption: voluntary simplicity and collaborative consumption. Based on representative data from the US (N = 1075) and Germany (N = 1070), the findings show that the two anti-consumption types do not reduce the well-being of individuals' but in some cases, even improve it, which suggests that lowering consumption can not only help protect environmental resources but also serve the greater good of society. In particular, this relationship holds among collaborative consumers with a strong need for cognition, i.e., a cognitive thinking style that involves a high level of decision control. According to the study results, opposite value orientations are the drivers of voluntary simplicity and collaborative consumption (i.e., a focus on self-transcendence versus self-enhancement). These findings are comparable in both countries; however, the strength of the effects differs. KW - anti-consumption KW - subjective well-being KW - voluntary simplicity KW - collaborative consumption KW - human values KW - need for cognition Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2020.106719 SN - 0921-8009 SN - 1873-6106 VL - 176 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Mai, Robert A1 - Hoffmann, Stefan A1 - Balderjahn, Ingo T1 - When drivers become inhibitors of organic consumption BT - the need for a multistage view JF - Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science N2 - The organic market is characterized by remarkable disparities, and confusion persists about which motives drive organic consumption. To understand them, this research introduces the idea that the same consumer motives can exert different and potentially opposite impacts when organic consumption patterns unfold. The proposed multistage theory of differential effects distinguishes a participation stage, when consumers decide whether to purchase organic at all, and an expenditure stage, when consumers decide about how much of their budget to spend on organic products across purchases. An analysis of shopping patterns of approximately 14,000 households confirms the proposed differential influences: Other-oriented motives (care for others and the environment) support participation but impede sustained expenditures. Only self-oriented motives (hedonism) foster both participation and expenditures. The results pinpoint the need to rethink organic consumption as a stage-specific problem, which opens up new perspectives for managers about an old but persistent problem. KW - double-hurdle model KW - decision stages KW - expenditures KW - shopping pattern KW - organic consumption Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-021-00787-x SN - 0092-0703 SN - 1552-7824 VL - 49 SP - 1151 EP - 1174 PB - Springer CY - Dordrecht ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Balderjahn, Ingo A1 - Lee, Michael S. W. A1 - Seegebarth, Barbara A1 - Peyer, Mathias T1 - A sustainable pathway to consumer wellbeing BT - the role of anticonsumption and consumer empowerment JF - The Journal of consumer affairs N2 - This study investigates the effect of different anticonsumption constructs on consumer wellbeing. The study assumes that people will only lower their level of consumption if doing so does not also lower personal wellbeing. More precisely, this research investigates how specific subtypes of sustainable anticonsumption (e.g., voluntary simplicity, collaborative consumption, and debt-free living) relate to different states of consumer's wellbeing (e.g., financial, psychosocial, and subjective wellbeing). This work also examines whether consumer empowerment can improve personal wellbeing and strengthen the anticonsumption wellbeing relationship. The results show that voluntarily foregoing consumption does not reduce wellbeing and consumer empowerment plays a significant role in supporting sustainable pathways to consumer wellbeing. This study reasons that empowerment improves consumer sovereignty, but may be detrimental for consumers heavily concerned about debt-free living. The present investigation concludes by proposing implications for public and consumer policymakers wishing to promote appropriate sustainable (anticonsumption) pathways to consumer wellbeing. Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/joca.12278 SN - 0022-0078 SN - 1745-6606 VL - 54 IS - 2 SP - 456 EP - 488 PB - Wiley CY - Malden, Mass. ER - TY - BOOK A1 - Balderjahn, Ingo T1 - Lust auf Verzicht BT - warum bewusster Konsum glücklich macht und dem Klima hilft N2 - Der globale Klimawandel nimmt weiter bedrohlich zu. Hitzewellen, Flutkatastrophen und Waldbrände gehören fast schon zum Alltag. Trotzdem ist die Bereitschaft in der deutschen Bevölkerung gering, selbst einen Beitrag zum Klimaschutz zu leisten. Das überrascht, denn in Umfragen bekennt sich immer eine große Mehrheit zum Klimaschutz. Allerdings haben wohl viele einen Klimaschutz im Kopf, der persönlich nichts kosten und nichts verändern darf. Ingo Balderjahn setzt sich mit diesem Widerspruch aus verhaltenswissenschaftlicher Sicht auseinander und legt offen, warum viele weiterhin ungebremst verschwenderisch und klimaschädlich konsumieren. Andererseits gibt es durchaus Menschen, die deutlich weniger konsumieren, als sie sich finanziell leisten könnten. Diese Minderheit in Deutschland verzichtet freiwillig auf eher unnötige und kurzlebige Güter - ohne irgendetwas dabei zu entbehren. Im Gegenteil: Genügsame Konsumgewohnheiten stärken die persönliche Selbstbestimmung, Unabhängigkeit und Zufriedenheit. KW - Einkauf KW - Konsum KW - Konsum und Nachhaltigkeit KW - Konsumverhalten KW - nachhaltige Lebensstile KW - Psychologie KW - Ressourcenverbrauch KW - Suffizienz KW - Verantwortung Y1 - 2024 SN - 978-3-98726-319-4 SN - 978-3-98726-081-0 U6 - https://doi.org/10.14512/9783987263194 PB - oekom verlag CY - München ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hoffmann, Stefan A1 - Balderjahn, Ingo A1 - Seegebarth, Barbara A1 - Mai, Robert A1 - Peyer, Mathias T1 - Under which conditions are consumers ready to boycott or buycott? BT - the roles of hedonism and simplicity JF - Ecological economics N2 - There are two fundamental ways in which consumers can express their concerns and obligations for society through their consumption decisions: They can boycott companies that they deem to be irresponsible or they may deliberately buy from companies that they perceive to act responsibly (‘buycott’). It has been largely ignored that individuals are driven by different motivational mechanisms to join boycotts and buycotts (punishment vs. reward of corporate behaviors), and thus, these mechanisms have disparate implications for the participating individual (e.g., high vs. low subjective costs because of a restriction in consumption habits). This paper fills this void and develops a framework suggesting that the extent to which consumers translate their concerns and obligations for society into a willingness to boycott and/or buycott is bounded by self-interest. Using a unique, representative sample of 1833 German consumers, this study reveals that the effects of environmental concerns and universalism on buycotting are amplified by hedonism, while the effects of social concern on buycotting and boycotting are attenuated by hedonism and simplicity, respectively. These results have far-reaching implications for organizations and policy planners who aim to change corporate behavior. KW - Environmental concerns KW - Social concerns KW - Boycott KW - Buycott KW - Hedonism KW - Voluntary simplicity Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2018.01.004 SN - 0921-8009 SN - 1873-6106 VL - 147 SP - 167 EP - 178 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Balderjahn, Ingo A1 - Appenfeller, Dennis T1 - A social marketing approach to voluntary simplicity BT - communicating to consume less JF - Sustainability N2 - Higher eco-efficiency will not be enough to slow global warming caused by climate change. To keep global warming to 2 degrees, people also need to reduce their consumption. At present, however, many who would be able to do so seem unwilling to comply. Given the threats of a runaway climate change, urgent measures are needed to promote less personal consumption. This study, therefore, examines whether social marketing consume-less appeals can be used to encourage consumers to voluntarily abstain from consumption. As part of an online experiment with nearly 2000 randomly sampled users of an online platform for sustainable consumption, we tested the effectiveness of five different “consume-less” appeals based on traditional advertising formats (including emotional, informational, and social claims). The study shows that consume-less appeals are capable of limiting personal desire to buy. However, significant differences in the effectiveness of the appeal formats used in this study were observed. In addition, we found evidence of rebound effects, which leads us to critically evaluate the overall potential of social marketing to promote more resource-conserving lifestyles. While commercial consumer-free appeals have previously been studied (e.g., Patagonia’s “Don’t Buy This Jacked”), this study on the effectiveness of non-commercial consume-free appeals is novel and provides new insights. KW - social marketing KW - voluntary simplicity KW - spending patterns KW - donation behavior KW - sustainability KW - randomized trial KW - rebound-effect Y1 - 2023 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032302 SN - 2071-1050 VL - 15 IS - 3 PB - MDPI CY - Basel ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Balderjahn, Ingo A1 - Hedergott, Doreen A1 - Appenfeller, Dennis A1 - Peyer, Mathias ED - Baier, Daniel ED - Brusch, Michael T1 - Choice-Based Conjointanalyse T2 - Conjointanalyse N2 - Die auswahlbasierte oder auch Choice-Based Conjointanalyse (CBC) ist die derzeit wohl beliebteste Variante der Conjointanalyse. Gründe dafür bestehen einerseits in der leichten Verfügbarkeit benutzerfreundlicher Software (z.B. R, Sawtooth Software), andererseits weist das Verfahren aufgrund seiner Sonderstellung auch aus methodischer sowie praktischer Sicht Stärken auf. So werden bei einer CBC im Gegensatz zur bewertungsbasierten Conjointanalyse keine Präferenzurteile, sondern diskrete Entscheidungen der Auskunftspersonen erhoben und ausgewertet. Bei der CBC handelt es sich also genau genommen um eine Discrete Choice Analyse (DCA), die auf ein conjointanalytisches Erhebungsdesign angewandt wird. Beide Bezeichnungen werden nach wie vor verwendet, die Methodik wird in diesem Kapitel grundlegend und anhand eines Anwendungsbeispiels diskutiert. Y1 - 2021 SN - 978-3-662-63363-2 SN - 978-3-662-63364-9 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-63364-9_8 SP - 185 EP - 203 PB - Springer Gabler CY - Berlin ; Heidelberg ET - 2., überarbeitete und erweiterte ER -