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Start date: 2020Subject: search.filters.subject.Ethical consumption

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    Identifying constraints on Gen Z’s path toward ethical tourism consumption and practices
    (Taylor and Francis Group, 2025-01-03) Seyfi S; Hall CM; Saarinen J; Zaman M; Vo-Thanh T
    Gen Z’s interest in ethical consumption, including tourism, is growing in response to pressing global challenges. However, there is limited research on the constraints tied to the ethical travel decisions of this young cohort of travelers. This qualitative study, grounded in the theory of constraints and ethical consumerism literature, addresses this gap. The findings reveal multi-layered and interrelated constraints categorized as intrapersonal (cognitive dissonance, risk aversion, consumption inertia), interpersonal (green stigma, family dynamics, social comparison), and structural (limited accessibility, financial restrictions). This study extends the theory of constraints by showing that these constraints do not act in isolation but interact dynamically, with intrapersonal constraints often triggering interpersonal and structural ones, while certain barriers reinforce others. Unlike previous research that treats these constraints as independent, our findings reveal their sequential and context-dependent nature, offering new insights into how these constraints interrelate in shaping ethical travel decisions and practices. By highlighting the complexity of ethical decision-making—including conflicting principles, ambiguity, and social influences—this study offers a novel, theoretically-grounded perspective on the constraints faced by Gen Z, often labelled the “greenest” generation. Practically, these findings inform targeted interventions and policy initiatives to enable ethical tourism.
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    New Zealand ethical consumption driven by universalism and personal achievement; can it also be fun?
    (Taylor and Francis Group on behalf of the Royal Society of New Zealand, 2024-10-24) Hasan S; Wooliscroft B; Ganglmair-Wooliscroft A
    Overconsumption and environmental pollution in New Zealand are leading to the depletion of its resources, threatening its ecosystem. This paper explores New Zealanders’ ethical and sustainable consumption behaviour, and the motivations and values that drive them. Seventy in-depth interviews with a variety of ethical consumers were conducted and analysed using laddering technique to uncover drivers behind ethical consumption habits. Results reflect the complexity and variety inherent in ethical consumption, and its motivations and drivers. Most ethical behaviours are environmentally focused, aimed at pollution reduction and environmental conservation. Ethical behaviours with a social focus are directed at the local or the international community. Social justice, equality and unity of nature (all sub-values of universalism) are revealed as drivers of ethical behaviours, and are complemented by personal achievement (feeling capable) and feelings of enjoyment–consuming ethically can also be ‘fun’. The complexity of the findings highlights the need for customised messaging from policymakers and businesses to increase ethical consumption behaviours in New Zealand.