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Envisioning a sustainable consumption future

Rob Aitken (Department of Marketing, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand)
Leah Watkins (Department of Marketing, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand)
Sophie Kemp (Department of Marketing, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand)

Young Consumers

ISSN: 1747-3616

Article publication date: 30 July 2019

Issue publication date: 21 November 2019

903

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to understand what a sustainable future would look like and the nature of the changes needed to achieve it. Continued reliance on economic growth to meet the demands of a growing population is unsustainable and comes at an unacceptable social and environmental cost. Given these increasing demands, radical changes to present practices of production and consumption are needed to enable a sustainable future.

Design/methodology/approach

To address this the projective technique of backcasting was used in a pilot study to explore student visions of a sustainable future. An integrative framework comprising housing, clothing, travel, leisure and food provided the structure for six focus group discussions.

Findings

Thematic analysis identified three key characteristics of a sustainable consumption future, namely, efficiency, sharing and community and three critical elements, namely, the role of government, education and technology, necessary for its achievement.

Research limitations/implications

Demonstrating the usefulness of backcasting will encourage its application in a wider range of consumption contexts with a broader range of participants. The vision of a sustainable future provides a blueprint that identifies its nature, and the basis upon which decisions to achieve it can be made.

Originality/value

The research introduces the technique of backcasting and demonstrates its usefulness when dealing with complex problems, where there is a need for radical change and when the status quo is not sustainable. Unexpectedly, results suggest a commitment to prosocial values, collaborative experience, collective action and the importance of community. Research and social implications demonstrating the usefulness of backcasting will encourage its application in a wider range of consumption contexts with a broader range of participants. The vision of a sustainable future provides a blueprint that identifies its nature, and the basis upon which decisions to achieve it can be made.

Keywords

Citation

Aitken, R., Watkins, L. and Kemp, S. (2019), "Envisioning a sustainable consumption future", Young Consumers, Vol. 20 No. 4, pp. 299-313. https://doi.org/10.1108/YC-12-2018-0905

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited

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