Does the Degree of Urbanisation Affect Sustainable Household Consumption? (Some Empirical Evidence)

Abstract

This paper is aimed at identifying the factors that shape consumers’ interest and propensity for sustainable consumption. It is focused on the differentiation of households in regard to their stated willingness to comply with the principles of sustainable consumption, as well as the identification of differences in the forms of manifestation of sustainable consumer behaviour among the households from different-sized urban areas. To achieve these objectives, first, we have evaluated a second-order factor model of CSC. We have also proposed a CSC Index model at an individual level. Second, we have conducted cluster analysis using the factor scores of the CSC Index model while considering households’ socio-demographics and the size of the urban area. We have identified two segments, ‘Sustainable conscious’ versus ‘Sustainable unconscious’. Finally, we have identified the environmental dimension as the most significant predictor of consciousness for sustainable consumption using a path model of CSC Index.

Keywords

• sustainable consumption
• conscious consumer behaviour
• consciousness for sustainable consumption index
• structural equation modelling
• clustering