Our contribution to the state of the art is threefold:
First, we have proposed a theoretical framework (paper 1) and further theoretical elaboration around the concepts of sufficiency and care, as well as a temporal perspective on ethical consumption (paper 2) that aims to improve our understanding of ethical consumption in terms of both theory and practice, and that is applicable to very different societies (papers 3 & 4). Paper 1 is devoted to integrating Social Practice Theory and the Multi-Level Perspective to explore how broader socio-technical systems, including regulations, markets, norms, and culture, influence and shape consumers’ ethical choices, going beyond individual factors such as values and attitudes. Paper 2 underscores how the existing body of literature on ethical consumption has often neglected the importance of a “culture of care” and reduction of consumption as components of ethical consumption. In this paper, we classified ethical consumption into three temporal categories which we labelled pre-consumption, consumption and post-consumption. Pre-consumption refers to consumers’ demands, planning and decisions about what to consume and how much. Consumption refers to purchasing and using, and includes practices such as repairing, slow consumption, and extending the life span of goods. Post-consumption refers to different ways of passing on, sharing, disposing of an item, and minimizing waste. This categorization can be used as a guide to better understand concerns and practices related to ethics, care and sufficiency at different stages. In papers 3 and 4 we have implemented our proposed theoretical framework to investigate how structural factors shape ethical consumption, using data from Sweden and Iran. Through this analysis, we argue why conventional versions of “ethical consumption” are more likely to emerge in some parts of the world than in others while at the same time providing constraints on specific forms of ethical consumption. We have demonstrated that ethical consumption is perceived and practised within the boundaries set by a particular society.
Anticipated impacts: (a) by shedding light on the pivotal role of multi-level dynamics in the formation of ethical consumption we have argued for the importance of considering societal factors in shaping or constraining ethical consumption in everyday life. It is hoped that this emphasis will cultivate a deeper understanding of the crucial prerequisites for orchestrating and expanding ethical considerations across diverse sectors (such as food, clothing, and energy) and in various countries worldwide. (b) By conceptualizing ethical consumption in terms of three distinct stages and considering it through the lenses of sufficiency and care, we have the opportunity to deepen our understanding of the transformative capacity of ethical consumption. (c) As a result, our findings on various facets of the perceptions and practices of ethical consumption in different social contexts will pave the way for further research directions as well as practical opportunities.
