Sustainability and consumer behaviour: Toward a cohered emergent theory

Existing research suggests that sustainable strategies of many corporate organizations are internally focused and aim to boost companies’ brand images, improve their competitive positions and to increase wealth for their shareholders. Such sustainable initiatives lack a genuine commitment to long-term green production, ecological integrity, human welfare and green buying behaviour. Yet, not many consumers have developed the mindset to buy green products even when companies strive hard to preserve sustainable standards through externally-focused initiatives to promote fair trade, ecological protection and social justice. While consumers’ demand for products can be analyzed and predicted through economic models, their green consumption behaviour is not always predictable and goes far beyond simple rational analysis. Some consumers even take sustainability matters less seriously due to complex and sometimes divisive sustainability discussions by world leaders.