Encouraging Sustainable Behaviour Change via a Social Practice Approach: A Focus on Apparel Consumption Practices

M. G. McEachern (), D. Middleton () and T. Cassidy ()
Additional contact information
M. G. McEachern: University of Huddersfield, Queensgate
D. Middleton: University of Huddersfield, Queensgate
T. Cassidy: University of Huddersfield, Queensgate

Journal of Consumer Policy, 2020, vol. 43, issue 2, No 9, 397-418

Abstract: Abstract To encourage greater sustainability regarding apparel consumption practices, policymakers have traditionally focused on economic and/or social psychology frameworks which rely on information-based campaigns to achieve behavioural change. Whilst such campaigns have had limited success and received significant criticism, additional policy solutions are called for. In contrast to conventional behavioural change strategies, this study responds to calls for further methodological insight and explores the potential of creative methods such as upcycling workshops and contemplative theatre performance, as practice-based mechanisms to engender a greater understanding of the environmental impact of apparel consumption and help bring about behavioural change to current apparel consumption practice. Via the theoretical lens of behavioural change theory and contemplative performance practice, our findings reveal the dynamic and continuously reshaping nature of the apparel market, in that most of our participants were until recently unaware of the unsustainable nature of the apparel industry. Despite some participants citing barriers, such as a lack of time, peer pressure, and the desire to express a specific social identity, reactions to practice-based methods were overwhelmingly positive. Thus, initiating a more proactive engagement with sustainability issues as well as increased reflection and discussion on how they might modify current apparel consumption behaviours in the future. We conclude by making suggestions for policymakers regarding future sustainability initiatives.

Keywords: Sustainable apparel consumption; Social practice; Sustainable apparel disposal; Behaviour change; Apparel industry; Upcycling (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10603-020-09454-0 Abstract (text/html)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:kap:jcopol:v:43:y:2020:i:2:d:10.1007_s10603-020-09454-0

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.springer. ... es/journal/10603/PS2

DOI: 10.1007/s10603-020-09454-0

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of Consumer Policy is currently edited by Hans Micklitz, John Thøgersen, Lucia A. Reisch, Alan Mathios and Christian Twigg-Flesner

More articles in Journal of Consumer Policy from Springer
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().