Investigating determinant factors of consumers’ sustainable consumption in
Scandinavia
Applying the Theory of Planned Behavior model in clean and fabric care
Thesis Master Level
Author: Dzenita Dzelepovic & Polina Dimitrova
Supervisor: Soniya Billore
Abstract
This study aimed to explore the determinant factors that influence consumers’
sustainable consumption, or more specifically consumers living in Scandinavia. The study seeked to understand what influences Scandinavian people to purchase a sustainable product based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) including the attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. To conduct a better approach, a case company was involved in the working process, with the help of which, the focus became more specific into fabric and clean care appliances such as dish machines, washing machines and dryers. To provide an exhaustive answer to the research questions, three hypotheses were conducted which were built based on the TPB model.
The study used a quantitative approach where an online survey was made. The survey was shared with people living in the Scandinavian countries Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Denmark, where 291 answers were collected. To analyze all the answers, SPSS statistics was used where each country was individually analyzed.
The results showed that an individual’s attitude and perceived behavioral control have a significant influence on the behavioural intention to perform sustainable consumption in Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Denmark while the subjective norm does not affect the sustainable consumption in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. Finland was the only country that had an accepted hypothesis on the subjective norm which means that finish people get influenced by the subjective norms.
Key words: Sustainable consumption, Theory of planned behavior (TPB), Cleaning and fabric care, household appliances, Scandinavia.
Acknowledgement
This paper would not succeed without the entire help and support we received during the writing process. We would like to thank our supervisor Soniya Billore who gave us great support and relevant feedback during our meetings.
We would also like to thank our examiner Malin Tillmar who could guide us properly and organize in a great manner the entire working process. During our meeting with our examiner, she could carefully organize the working process in a way that we could get feedback from our classmates who were also in their writing process. That is why, we would like to thank all our classmates who were willing to take from their time to read and give us proper feedback. Moreover, we would like to thank our case company which had the opportunity to give us relevant data and instructions that could aid us to follow the right direction.
We would like to thank all 291 participants who took from their time to answer our online survey. They could give us a very extensive and deep understanding related to our topic based on what we had the chance to do relevant analysis and bring better results. The final thanks go to the design students who took a significant part in this project by helping us with developing and designing the solutions for our innovation output at the end.
Table of contents
1. Introduction 1
1.1 Background 1
1.2 Project brief 4
1.3 Problem Discussion 5
1.4 Limitation 8
1.5 Purpose 8
1.6 Research Questions 8
2.1 Broad definition of sustainability 9
2.2 Sustainable consumption 11
2.2.1 Sustainable consumption in relation to Scandinavian countries 13
2.3 Clean and fabric care appliances 17
2.3.1 Dish machines, Washing machines and Dryers 18
2.4 Theory of planned behavior 20
2.4.1 Attitude 21
2.4.2 Subjective Norm 23
2.4.3 Perceived Behavioral Control 24
2.4.4 Hypothesis development 27
3.1 Research Approach 28
3.1.1 Deductive Approach 28
3.1.2 Quantitative approach 31
3.2 Research Design 32
3.2.1 Comparative Design - Cross Cultural 32
3.3 Data Collection Method 34
3.4 Sampling 38
3.4.1 Sample size 39
3.5 Ethical considerations 40
3.6 Data Analysis 42
3.7 Reliability and Validity 44
3.7.2 Quantitative quality criteria 44
4. Empirical findings 47
4.1 Demographic presentation of online survey 47
4.2 Clean and fabric care findings 49
4.2.1 Sweden 49
4.2.2 Norway 51
4.2.3 Finland 53
4.2.4 Denmark 55
4.3 Theory of Planned Behavior Findings 4.3.1 Sweden Attitude 57
4.3.3 Finland 62
4.3.4 Denmark 65
4.4 Hypothesis Analysis 68
4.4.1 Hypothesis test Sweden 69
4.4.2 Hypothesis test Norway 72
4.4.3 Hypothesis test Finland 75
4.4.4 Hypothesis test Denmark 77
4.5.1 Hypothesis results Sweden 80
4.5.2 Hypothesis results Norway 81
4.5.3 Hypothesis results Finland 82
4.5.4 Hypothesis results Denmark 83
5. Analysis 84
5.1 Clean and Fabric Care Analysis 84
5.2 The Theory of Planned Behavior Analysis 88
5.1.1 Attitude 88
5.1.2 Subjective Norm 90
5.1.3 Perceived Behavioral control 92
6. Innovation output of the thesis 96
7. Conclusion 101
7.1 Further Research 102
8. Reflection 103
9. References 104
1. Introduction
The introductory chapter of the study presents the primary focus area that the study will treat, with the following chapter containing a problematization that highlights the challenges the area holds. Then a limitation and purpose are presented with belonging research questions.
1.1 Background
In recent decades people’s quality of life can be described as has changed for the better, which is something that also has led to that more people today are given the opportunity to consume goods and services. Changes in people’s consumption habits and increased consumption is however coming with its own set of ecological problems. Although purchasing activities can respond to needs and bring improved life quality, it is hard to disregard the fact that ignorance and irresponsible consumption practices ultimately lead to devastating consequences to the environment (Joshi & Rahman, 2017).
Repercussions such as global warming, pollution, and negative effects on flora and fauna are some of the most serious that have been noticed (Joshi &
Rahman, 2015). However, the changed circumstances that exist have developed an increased realization and concern among people when it comes to considering the environmental impact when making purchasing decisions (Portney, 2015). The fact that society is now increasingly being driven by changes in consumption patterns and behavior has also made room for the phenomenon of sustainable consumption to arise (Jaiswal & Kant, 2018). The Brundtland Report “Our common future” (1987) defines sustainability as;
[...] Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
(Brundtland Report, 1987).
While Joshi and Rahman (2017) define sustainable consumption as follows:
[...] The use of goods and services that respond to basic needs and bring a Better quality of life, while minimizing the use of natural resources, toxic materials and emissions of waste and pollutants over the life cycle, so as not to jeopardize the needs of future generation
(Joshi & Rahman, 2017).
Sustainable consumption is also highlighted in the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (Qi & Ploeger, 2019), and there is a strong belief that increased consumption of environmentally friendly products and services can provide good conditions for minimizing the environmental impact, as this type of products are manufactured and designed to meet environmental requirements during their entire life cycles (Liobikiene, Mandravickaite & Bernatoniene, 2016). Especially household appliances are today considered to be a core area of consumption in both developed and developing countries. The category of clean and fabric care appliances includes appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines. More and more people are expected to use such appliances, which in turn also means a need for increased resources for the production and use of these. Companies are therefore faced with the challenge of ensuring that these appliances undergo sustainable production and consumption (Hischier, Reale, Castellani
& Salla, 2020).
Consumers thus possess the capability to influence the environmental damage by their actions and it has been possible to see a clear rise in consumers’
willingness to embrace sustainable consumption. However, despite the identified increase in consumers’ positive attitude towards sustainable
purchasing, there are still large differences between consumers’ willingness and actual purchase behavior. The increased willingness is not very often translated into actual actions (Joshi & Rahman, 2017). How successful sustainable products are can thus be said to depend on individuals’ underlying value differences, views, and priorities (Chen & Hung, 2016). These can largely be shaped depending on the culture in which individuals live (Bong Ko
& Jin, 2017), the economic development in the country, as well as the knowledge regarding sustainability an individual possesses (Berglund, Gericke, Pauw, Olsson & Chang, 2019). It is therefore essential to examine what the perceived behavior for neglection and acceptance are, not only to obtain a deeper understanding of consumers’ thinking but also to facilitate for producers as well as marketers in their continued work with the promotion of sustainable consumption (Qi & Ploeger, 2019).
With the support of the widely used psychological theory, Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), it is possible to investigate individuals’ beliefs and how these are linked to and interact with individuals’ behavior. This, as the theory advocates that strongly influencing factors for one's behavior are attitudes, norms, social pressure, and perceived control to carry out a behavior (Yadav
& Pathak, 2017). The use of TPB can support the identification and analysis of relevant influencing factors that are essential to consider for the further understanding of behavior that leads to sustainable consumption (Liobikiene, et al., 2016). Research in the area of sustainable consumption has over the past few years had a striking increase from both academics and professionals with a focus on creating an understanding of possible motivations and barriers for sustainable consumption (Elhaffar, Durif & Dubé, 2020). However, many studies lack satisfactory results within this area and have found to be failed to elucidate the factors influencing sustainable consumption (Joshi & Rahman, 2017: Jaiswal & Kant, 2019: Qi & Ploeger, 2019). Most of the existing studies have had a focus on sustainable food purchases, however, research studies
exploring purchases of clean and fabric care appliances are rather scarce. Also, As Liobikiene et al., (2016) describe that most of the studies within the existing literature cover developing countries, meanwhile in terms of European countries the studies are few and only cover countries such as Belgium, The UK, and Italy. This study will therefore aim to fill the existing information gap regarding sustainable consumption of clean and fabric care appliances and increase the number of studies covering European countries. The study will with the help of the TPB model identify factors for neglection and acceptance behavior regarding sustainable consumption in the Scandinavian countries Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Denmark.
1.2 Project brief
This study is made in collaboration with a case company that operates within the retail industry. The company has identified various challenges that they consider to be highly relevant to their business, where climate change and unsustainable consumption are in focus. However, in order to create a deeper understanding of the company and their purpose with the collaboration, it is important to understand their business. The company is a multinational retail company that primarily sells furniture, products within home decor, and various home appliances such as kitchens. They have stores in many countries around the world where the markets are different. The company thinks that it is very important to have a positive impact on people around the world, but also the planet that we share. The United Nations sustainable development goals are therefore something they value, but also work to help achieve.
Currently, the company is working on new areas where home appliances are designed to be sustainable, they think it is important to put effort into selecting better materials and reduce the amount of energy used in their home appliances. They believe that they have a part to play and that they can make an impact. As a response to the identified challenges regarding climate change and unsustainable consumption, they have therefore asked the researchers for
help to further improve the customer’s perception of sustainable appliances during their buying process in different markets. The company wants to know the factors behind rejection and acceptance behavior and if it differs between different countries and in that case how it differs. The researchers will therefore in this study strive to help the case company to develop the knowledge within this area by collecting information about how the situation is in different markets regarding sustainable consumption. Later, the researchers will also develop and suggest an innovative communication strategy the company can use to better reach its customers in the different markets and spread the importance of using sustainable appliances. By different markets, the main focus will be on the Scandinavian countries Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Denmark.
1.3 Problem Discussion
In recent years, the interest of promoting and marketing various sustainable products has increased dramatically. One of the main reasons for that tendency to explode so quickly is provoked by the major environmental and social issues that the population has noticed for the past decades (Joshi & Rahman, 2019).
The environmental and social problems such as global warming, depletion of natural resources and water scarcity are continuingly rising due to the constant industrial activities that people do, including a high usage of electricity and water. This kind of environmental damage can affect the life on the planet which is the reason to why many researchers give various key suggestions for minimizing the environmental issues by reducing the consumption of energy and water. Most households have kitchen appliances such as dishwashers, laundry machines or other electrically driven machines. However, achieving energy efficiency in the household is considered as a challenge since the use of various electrical appliances is increasing daily (Tan, Ooi & Goh, 2017).
That is why, implementing and integrating sustainable development is
discussed as an effective strategy for companies who offer these kinds of kitchen and fabric care appliances. Sustainable development is considered by many researchers as a strategy that could reduce the harmful impact people do to the environment (Joshi & Rahman, 2015; Kumar, Manrai & Manrai, 2017, Yang, Chen & Zhang, 2020). Especially in Scandinavian countries (Sweden, Norway, Finland, & Denmark) it can be noticed that there is a high interest among various researchers and companies in sustainable development regarding an extensive saving of both energy and water (Larsen, 2015).
However, the easy access to those natural resources can make consumers neglect the fact that the resources have their limits as well. Even though there is a high awareness of sustainable consumption in Scandinavian countries, there is still a gap between consumers intention and actual action to improve their sustainable consumption.
Kumar et al., (2017) discuss the environmental issues occurring constantly as a result of commensurate human behavior. Respectively, if there is a behavior, which is significantly harmful for the environment and the society, then it could be counted as one of the main challenges for preventing environmental disaster. Behavioral factors are widely explored by researchers who have different understandings about it and describe it in different ways. However, changing a human's behavior is considered as a highly complicated and challenging task because even though the intention could be described as a predictor of behavior, the intention not always leads to behavior. This means that even if the consumer has the strong intention to purchase sustainably, something else such as a more interesting or cheaper product could trigger them to change their behavior (Ibid).
Nguyen, Nguyen and Hoang (2019) state that there is always a gap between the intention and the behavior. This means that there is a frequency of cases where consumers have the environmental knowledge or attitude towards
environmental issues, but they fail from switching their behavior into sustainable purchasing. Joshi and Rahman (2017) explain that past behaviors are playing a crucial role in shaping the future long-term perspectives and behavior in human beings. Further, Joshi, and Rahman (2017) discuss that each individual shapes their own attitude, impressions and intentions based on their experience, knowledge and observations. That is why, understanding the effect that past sustainable behavior has on current or future behavior is an important factor that could also help into looking deeper into the gap between intention and behavior.
Differently, Yang, Chen & Zhang (2020) point out another factor that influences people’s future sustainable consumption and sustainable purchasing, called motivation with the help of which an attitude could be shaped. Motivation is also discussed as a significant factor that is not always tightly connected to the behavior people make. The current literature highlights different gaps between people’s intentions, motivations, and behavior, and also there is lack of information about the main factors that influence consumers’ sustainable consumption. Although personal experience or knowledge has a positive motivation to change into a more sustainable, this does not necessarily mean that people are willing to change their behavior completely. Cheung and To (2019) also examine the gap between the attitude and behavior among different individuals. It is considered as a main challenge for the researchers to understand how people shape their attitude towards environmental issues and turn this attitude into an eventual action, or more specifically how an intention could be turned into an actual behaviour. Since there is a lack of information found about the essential factors that influence consumer’s sustainable consumption it could also be assumed that this could lead to the existing gap between consumer’s intentions and actual behavior.
This is why this study will aim to elaborate this topic and identify what the
main factors are for neglection and acceptance behavior regarding sustainable consumption.
1.4 Limitation
As there is a plethora of existing product categories and markets, it is, concerning the scope of the report, appropriate and necessary to make a distinct limitation. In order to make a concrete and informative contribution to the research, this study will therefore be limited and focus on the clean and fabric care product category in the Scandinavian market. There is today a lack of available and satisfactory research in the combination of clean and fabric care and the Scandinavian market, the results of this study, therefore, aim to bring fulfilling knowledge in this deficient area. In order to satisfy a thorough and effective analysis, also the TPB model will be applied.
1.5 Purpose
The purpose of the study is to identify the determinant factors of consumers’ sustainable consumption in Scandinavia.
1.6 Research Questions
What is the perceived behavior that leads to acceptance of sustainable consumption in clean and fabric care?
What is the perceived behavior that leads to rejection of sustainable consumption in clean and fabric care?
How does this behavior impact the ultimate behavior of consumers sustainable consumption?
2. Theoretical Framework
This chapter presents the study's theoretical reference framework which was designed based on the keywords: sustainable consumption, theory of planned behavior (TPB), cleaning and fabric care, household appliances, and
Scandinavia. Initially, there is an overall discussion of sustainability and sustainable consumption, which then turns to a review of how these appear in Scandinavia. Thereafter there is a presentation of clean and fabric care appliances and the theory of planned behavior model which forms an important basis in the implementation of the study. Lastly a summary of developed hypotheses will be presented.
2.1 Broad definition of sustainability
The interest and demand for sustainability has increased significantly in the past years (Chen, Newburry & Park, 2009; Westman, Luederitz, Kundurpi, Mercado, Julian, Weber & Burch, 2019; Moore, Mascarenhas, Bain & Straus, 2017). Many companies, regardless of production type, are trying to adopt or learn more about sustainability as an innovative method for increasing their productivity and credibility in the competitive market (Riikkinena, Kauppia &
Salmi, 2017). Riikkinena, Kauppia, and Salmi (2017) explain that there are different types of sustainability such as social sustainability and environmental sustainability. Environmental sustainability is focused on climate change issues while social sustainability addresses issues related to the collaboration with communities. Since sustainability has various roots and is seen from different perspectives, there are different ways of defining sustainability, respectively. One of the most common definitions among researchers which also Chen et al., (2009, pp 318) explain is that sustainability “meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs''.
However, Moore et al., (2017) discuss that one of the main challenges which scholars and researchers face is the lack of clear definition. Further in the research, it is analyzed that since there is unclear definition how sustainability is defined, then it is unclear how researchers use and apply the word in their research and scientific papers. The use of different synonyms and keywords closer to the main word “sustainability”, for example “green” or
“environmentally friendly”, might lead to confusion and misunderstanding.
Looking from the business perspective, Westman et al., (2019, pp 389) define sustainability as a measurement which “is also perceived to provide competitive advantages by creating access to new markets and aligning activities with shifting customer preferences''. It is expected that by involving various green business strategies, companies could improve their business and attract more interest towards themselves. However, understanding the overall scope of sustainability and finding the right direction which is relevant for the business itself is considered vague and unclear since there are various understandings of what sustainability means and its applicability (Westman et al., 2019).
Northrop and Connor (2013) also confirm that sustainability has various meanings, however, one of the understandings about sustainability could be connected with the “time dimension”. It requires time and resources until companies realize the importance of applying and improving their products by involving different innovative and considered sustainable strategies and models. Moreover, it is emphasized on the fact that the word sustain has many meanings itself connected to maintaining, prolonging, encouraging and so on.
While the word sustainability is the consequence of sustaining something and it is described as “the ability to sustain” (Northrop & Connor, 2013, pp 4).
Evans, Vladimirova, Holgado, Fossen, Yang, Silva, and Barlow (2017, pp 597) explain that “improving sustainability often implies change, innovation or adjustment of an entity in relation to its surroundings or supporting
environment”. Evans et al., (2017) attempt to say that one of the most potential methods for integrating sustainability initially is thought business model innovation. However, every business is unique and has its own individuality.
That is why, there is no clear solution or definition how one specific business model could elaborate and give success to every existing business. Each business should, firstly, identify its own strengths and weaknesses before they go further into developing a sustainable business model (Ibid). Jansson, Nilsson, Modig and Hedvall (2019) argue that sustainability takes an essential part of the business including strategic product decisions, competitiveness and strategic planning. However, there are also challenges coming along such as the culture differences which could influence peoples’ intentions (Ibid).
2.2 Sustainable consumption
Since major changes in the environment have been noticed, due to the high consumptions and industrialization undertaken by people, the interest among researchers about sustainable development of human beings has risen as well (Joshi & Rahman, 2015). Sustainable purchasing behavior is a broad topic which refers to purchasing environmentally friendly products that do not harm the environment during their life cycle. There are different definitions and understandings about sustainable purchasing development since the scope of the research is wide and complicated to be completely analyzed and understood. For example, Joshi and Rahman (2015, pp. 130) define sustainable purchasing behavior as a “complex form of ethical decision-making behavior and is considered a type of socially responsible behavior”. A socially responsible behavior means that the consumer is socially interested in the products they consume and aware of the consequences their purchasing behavior will contribute in the future. A sustainable product is defined as a product which could still satisfy people’s needs and wants but simultaneously, they will not harm the planet, for example, using less plastic (less packaging) or recyclable materials for manufacturing some products (Ibid).
However, Young, Hwang, McDonald, and Oates (2010) explain that the decision-making behavior is a complex process that has not only ethical but also “resource, waste and community impact implications”. Young et al., (2010) further discuss that the behavior is formed by the attitude the consumers have towards the existing issues which they are interested in. For shaping this behavior, consumers are willing to gather information from various sources which could motivate them to create a specific opinion and attitude which leads to taking action for not only private but also for social change. Nguyen, Nguyen and Hoang (2019) also describe sustainable purchasing as a behavior which individuals are motivated to do due to their personal concern related to certain environmental issues and the society welfare.
Joshi and Rahman (2019) discuss humans' spirituality and other physiological factors such as drive for environmental responsibility, perceived consumer effectiveness, attitude and knowledge, that influence the sustainable purchasing behavior. Further in the research paper, Joshi and Rahman (2019) explain that by promoting and analyzing the concept of sustainable purchasing, the number of environmental damages people constantly cause will reduce due to their awareness and knowledge that overconsumption and unplanned purchases are harmful. Bodur, Duval and Grohmann (2015) also state the importance of different strategies that encourage people to adapt into more sustainable life. Various strategies should not be necessarily positive and motivational, but they could be also persuasive messages such as fear appeals or calls to action. According to Bodur et al., (2015) these strategies can influence people’s future behavior for a short- or long-term perspective where the main changing behavior is focused on recycling, energy and water conservation, or possibly transportation. However, Nguyen et al., (2019) concentrate their attention on other factors that could significantly influence the sustainable purchasing behavior such as attitude, norm, perceived control and intention. Further considerations state that exploring additional factors
such as culture and values could also affect the sustainable purchasing behavior (Ibid). Differently, Kumar et al., (2017) point out the importance of Theory of Planned behavior (TPB) as a valuable method which provides deeper insights and frames that give a better understanding of sustainable purchasing behavior including important concepts such as attitude, purchase intention, knowledge and so on.
2.2.1 Sustainable consumption in relation to Scandinavian countries
The standard way of conducting business used to be greatly centered on the sale of products, where the main content of the process was characterized by a production phase, selling phase, and then receiving compensation for it. Over the last decades, this way of conducting business has changed and many companies have switched focus. Today’s entrepreneurs face more challenges, and they need in their business now also consider fulfillment, satisfaction, experiences, and the phenomena sustainability. Many companies have therefore switched focus to offer value, instead of focusing on the product itself, which has led to the development of efficient and sustainable products containing characteristics such as low energy and water use (Tukker &
Tischner, 2017). However, how successful these environmentally friendly products are, differs between markets, depending on the underlying value differences, where people have different views and priorities (Chen & Hung, 2016).
Individualism vs collectivism
Berglund, Gericke, Pauw, Olsson and Chang (2019) describe that values can differ and be influenced depending on which society the individual lives in as cultures often reflect the individual’s reflections and actions. The authors (2019) mention two different types of societies, these are either collectivism- oriented or individualism-oriented. Those who live in collectivism-oriented societies value relationships and loyalty. They have a strong awareness of
others' viewpoints and try to avoid negative evaluations by others. However, those living in individualism-oriented societies tend to rely on their own viewpoints and are less likely to be influenced by others (Bong Ko & Jin, 2017). Variety, pleasure, and autonomy are described as highly valued by individuals living in individualism-oriented societies (Berglund et al., 2019).
According to figures that can be obtained from Hofstede Insights (2021), Scandinavian countries fall within the framework of individualism-oriented societies. Denmark is shown to have the highest degree of individualism, followed by Sweden, then Norway, and lastly Finland. In terms of sustainable consumption, Ali, Xiaoling and Ali (2019) describe that it is individuals belonging to collectivism-oriented societies who are the ones who to a greater extent tend to perform sustainable consumption behavior compared to individuals living in individualism-oriented societies. This fact is based on that collectivistic individuals are more likely to perform certain behaviors because they consider it essential to emphasize group goals over personal, they have in other words a higher consideration of people and society and want to fit in within their groups. Also, Ceglia, Oliveira Lima and Leocadio (2015) describe that the people who value social values and care about the viewpoints from their closed ones are the ones who are more likely to perform sustainable consumption. Individualistic people, however, according to Ali et al., (2019), tend to act to their own advantage and are therefore inclined to perform sustainable consumption only if it fulfills personal needs and they believe that their effort will make a difference. Scandinavian countries fall within this frame.
Economic development
Another aspect that can have a great impact on the individual’s value of sustainable consumption and acting according to it, is the economic development in the society they live in. The effects of socio-economic
variables have been shown to have a strong influence on the behavior of individuals. There is a positive relationship between high levels of average income, high levels of education and cultural egalitarianism and autonomy (Berglund et al., 2019). For sustainable consumption to be successful, it is necessary to ensure “top-down” initiatives, where policymakers such as governments contribute with sustainable efforts and economic intervention.
Thereafter, it is essential that “bottom-up” activities are ensured, i.e., that companies make efforts in the form of incorporating the initiatives into their business activities. In developed economies, it has been shown that there is a strong activity from both a “top-down” and “bottom-up” perspective, which has created interventions both at a supply and demand side (Wang, Ghadimi, Lim & Tseng, 2019).
In developing countries, however, most initiatives take place from the
“bottom-up” side as “top-down” efforts are usually neglected by government authorities who prefer to see that economic resources go to essential necessities such as securing access to food for all, rather than environmental performance. This may thus explain why sustainable consumption strategies’
success is based on economic development, as countries with higher economic development have a greater possibility to adopt cleaner technologies, product designs, etc., and offer them to their customers (Wang et al., 2019). The economic development in Scandinavian countries is considered high and they perform well in relation to the EU average. These countries are very active in the sustainable consumption domain and with their strong economy are considered to be some of the most suited to fulfill the UN sustainable development goals. Sweden is given the highest score, then Denmark, Finland, and lastly Norway (Grunfelder, Rispling and Norlén, 2019). Individuals who live here have a lot of freedom to design their own lifestyle as it relates to product consumption and are well informed about the environmental effect of products (Wang et al., 2019).
Knowledge
Knowledge is an important component in relation to sustainable development because it has the ability to create barriers to pro-environmental behavior and actions. Not having sufficient knowledge can often lead to individuals not being aware of a problem or having a weak understanding of how to deal with the problem (Berglund et al., 2019). On the other hand, obtaining big amounts of information of the similar kind about environmental problems can also have a negative impact by creating struggle around what to believe in or focus on (Gifford, 2011). An important agent in transforming a society towards sustainable development is therefore education. By empowering young people to contribute to sustainable development at an early age can contribute to knowledge and environmental consciousness (Berglund et al., 2019).
Education in sustainable development’s main purpose is to develop students’
ability, motivation, and desire to, among other things, consider environmental problems and issues. It also focuses on behavioral change (Berglund, Gericke
& Rundgren, 2014).
Countries in Scandinavia strive to be among the regions that lead the way in enhancing education about sustainable development and its importance. The goal with the education is that the graduates create an ability to consider the environment in their decision-making later in their lives, and some universities use advanced tools that enhance the monitoring of sustainability aspects in the curriculum and courses. However, Sweden is the only country in Scandinavia that follows a national directive that advocates the use and inclusion of sustainable development in all University activities, with education as no exception (Holm, Sammalisto, & Vuorisalo, 2015). Denmark is however the country in Scandinavia that has a sparse emphasis on sustainability in the educational policy (Nordic Council of Ministers, 2021).
In addition to a university level, education on sustainable development also occurs in upper secondary schools, where the Swedish curriculum includes information that all programs and subjects must include environmental perspectives (Berglund et al., 2014). In Finland, the curriculum specifies the role of nature in the fundamental values. Students from basic to upper secondary school learn about the necessity of a sustainable lifestyle (Sjöblom
& Wolff, 2017). Norway’s curriculum also emphasizes sustainable development where education needs to include experience-based and action- oriented narratives related to sustainability (Varga & Affolter, 2018).
Denmark is, however, the country where sustainable development in schools is viewed as an independent concept, and does not occur in the school curriculum (Paase, Segura-Bonilla & Hernández-Milián, 2021)
2.3 Clean and fabric care appliances
Household appliances are becoming more popular and usable with the time since various electrical machines are seen as needed and essential (Hischier, Reale, Castellani & Sala, 2020). This includes refrigerators, TVs, drying machines, dishwashers, laundry machines, ovens etc, which more and more people consider as important for having in their house. However, all these appliances require energy and water consumption in order to function properly. Hischier et al., (2020) explain that the main focus should be considered on improving the sustainable consumption and production by taking into consideration the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs) (UN, 2015). Thus, by increasing the awareness about “responsible consumption and production (SGDs 12)” other factors could be touched and influenced in a positive way as well such as “climate action (SGDs 13)” or
“affordable and clean energy (SGDs 7)” (Appendix1).
Lee and Tansel (2012) argue that for reducing the energy and water consumption through the electrical machines that people use daily, the raw
materials and the manufacturing process is the most crucial part. Life-cycle analysis (LCA) was proposed as a relevant tool for getting clearer understanding about the potential environmental impacts that each of the cleaning and fabric care appliances brings after being manufactured. There are four major phases which should be included when it comes to LCA goal and scope definition, life cycle inventory analysis, life cycle impact assessment and interpretation (Ibid). Bansal, Vineyard, and Abdelaziz (2011) discuss different potentialities of saving electricity and water by defining barriers and opportunities about some of the household appliances which draw a huge amount of electricity or water such as the refrigerator, laundry machines or dryers. While Tan, Ooi and Goh (2017, pp 459) explain that the most important part of reducing the electricity and water consumption is first by understanding the main “consumers’ purchase intention for energy-efficient household appliances”. Tan et al., (2017) proposition for getting a better knowledge of consumers intention is by applying the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) tool. It was described that the attitude could influence the intention, but intention and behavior are two separate parts which not necessarily could be influenced from one another.
2.3.1 Dish machines, Washing machines and Dryers
In Europe, there is approximately 30 % of the total electricity demand which is coming only from the household appliances (Stamminger & Schmitz, 2017).
There is an opportunity for the amount of electrical consumption to be lowered depending on which type of appliances the energy demand is focused on. This means that this could be regulated or controlled by the people who are using the specific household appliances. For example, Stamminger and Schmitz (2017) discuss that washing machines and dish machines could be also called
“behavioral” appliances because they could be used only in the time when the consumers have the need to do so. Household appliances such as a refrigerator
or freezer could not be controlled in the same way because they should be on non-stop, otherwise, the food would get moldy and not be eatable.
Pakula and Stamminger (2015) compare different European countries’
cleaning and washing habits and try to discuss various potentialities for saving more water and energy. The research discusses that there is a high opportunity for people to save a huge amount of energy and water only by changing their own consumer behavior towards more efficient use of the household appliances they have. More specifically, it is estimated that Scandinavian countries prefer to wash in a relatively high temperature. However, it is argued that washing at a low temperature could save approximately 40 % more energy than usual (Ibid). Achttienribbe (1998) discusses that richer countries including Scandinavian have very high accessibility to water and energy which makes people consume more than usual. From an approach made by Electrolux (2010), it was estimated that Swedish people are more willing to start their dish machines almost empty while Norwegian are more disciplined in that direction. However, it is concluded that the average amount of water, needed for washing the same number of dishes, will be 103 L if people wash in hand in comparison to more modern dish machine which needs only 13 L of water (Electrolux, 2010). Fact, pointed by the Swedish energy agency (2015), is that legally people are allowed to know the energy consumption of every product they want to purchase beforehand.
Stamminger, Schmitz and Hook (2019) explain that the environmental impact is mainly dependent on decisions that household members take daily. For example, the study confirms the theory that kitchen appliances such as dishwashers are part of the behavioral decision making where consumers used to make several mistakes which lead to higher energy and water consumption.
Some of these mistakes could be poor dishwashing habits, starting a relatively long and unneeded washing program or even starting an almost empty dish machine. Stamminger et al., (2019, pp 568) define that the main problem
occurs because “people still fail to maximize current dishwasher technologies to increase performance by reducing resource consumption simultaneously”.
Rueda-Cantuche and Villanueva (2019) also examine the macroeconomic effects and energy efficiency among these three household appliances: dryer, washing machine and dishwasher. To reduce the energy consumption different policies should be implied which will not only positively influence environmental issues but also it will impact economic growth. Different policies could also aid in introducing new production technology or motivating the energy efficiency technologies. Rueda-Cantuche and Villanueva (2019, pp 2) further discuss that “significant energy savings can be achieved by adopting the current best practices of appliance energy efficiency policies”.
2.4 Theory of planned behavior
According to Ajzen (2011) the theory of planned behavior (TPB) became a widely used and preferred model among various researchers and scholars during the years. TPB is an extended and more detailed version of the Theory of reasoned action (TRA). TRA is a model concentrated mainly on different attitudes and normative behavior which help researchers to understand the final intentions and behaviors (Armitage & Conner, 2001). Although there are numerous understandings and explanations of TPB, Ajzen (2011) explain that the core of the theory is concentrated on predicting intentions, including behavioral, normative and control beliefs, followed by additional factors such as attitude, subjective norms and perception of behavioral control (PBC), (Figure 2.1). Figure 2.1 presents the most common model that TPB has.
Figure 2.1 - Theory of planned behavior (Ajzen 1991)
However, more researchers and scholars became interested in developing the understanding of TPB by trying to explore the sustainable purchasing behavior together with different factors affecting people’s behavior through their decision-making process (Liobikienė, Mandravickaitė & Bernatonienė, 2016;
Kumar et al., 2017). Sustainable behavior could be developed in various aspects and different solutions could be proposed in the area of recycling, water saving technology or environmental concerns. Kumar et al., (2017, pp 2) explain TPB as a “framework depicting relevant factors affecting the behavior towards a particular issue”. This definition allows researchers to develop the understanding of various significant factors that affect customer’s opinion and attitude towards sustainability and sustainable purchase.
2.4.1 Attitude
The first component attitude is described to be influenced by the level of favorable or negative assessment individuals possess when performing a particular behavior. This means that the individual’s attitude largely affects the outcome of the behavior, where a positive attitude leads to a greater probability
of performing the behavior in question. This in turn means that a negative attitude also probably leads to a greater probability of not performing the behavior in question (Verma & Chandra, 2018). From an environmental perspective, attitude is according to Taufique and Vaithianathan (2018, p.48) defined as “cognitive and affective evaluation of the object environmental protection”. Individuals who are thus aware of the deteriorations that constantly affect the environment and possess knowledge about the importance of sustainable consumption, also have an increased expectation to establish a more responsible attitude to care for and preserve the environment.
The consideration that exists towards the environment will therefore later also be reflected in the individuals’ purchase decisions, leading them to buy products that have less environmental impact (Chen & Hung, 2016). Attitude can therefore be considered to be one of the determinants of behavioral intention as there is a positive relationship between the intention of environmentally conscious consumers and the adoption of responsible consumption behavior. Attitude is one of the substantial predictors determining sustainable behavior (Taufique & Vaithanthan, 2018).
As consumption can be described as the incentive to markets objectives and function, where consumers’ demands more or less control what is to be produced, it becomes obvious and clear that consumers and their attitude play a vital role when it comes to the development and sales of sustainable products.
As more and more individuals perform sustainable consumption, benefits can also be obtained when it comes to the protection and improvement of the environment. Consumer’s attitude and market are thus related to each other, and consumer preference is an essential factor for success of any overall environmental plan (Yazdanpanah & Forouzani, 2015). A positive attitude indicates an increase in willingness to purchase sustainable products and is also influencing how much the individual is willing to pay for environmentally friendly products, where a positive attitude can also get prices in the upper
price range to be classified as suitable (Maloney, Lee, Jackson & Miller- Spillman, 2014).
H1
Attitude is positively associated with performing sustainable consumption.
2.4.2 Subjective Norm
The second component that can be found in the TPB model is the subjective norm which mainly focuses on highlighting how individuals’ decision making is influenced by the viewpoints of people who are important and have an impact on their lives (Verma & Chandra, 2018). This group of individuals may include family, relatives, business partners, friends, and co-workers, i.e., reference groups with which individuals interact in their social life (Verma &
Chandra, 2018; Taufique & Vaithianathan, 2018). This means that the individual can be influenced by the people around them who, when it comes to a sustainable consumption context, can either be greatly against or greatly support sustainable consumption and the probability that the individual will get affected and do the same is high. The perception about others’ potential attitude towards a target behavior is very much based on social factors as the level of perceived social pressure can provoke behavior that meets the expectations of the society. If the social expectation is that one should perform a particular behavior, then one should have the desire to perform this and vice versa (Chen & Hung, 2016).
Since subjective norm is defined “as the individual’s assessment of others’
preferences and support for a behavior” (Taufique & Vaithianathan, 2018, p.48), many companies have taken advantage of using the social norm of conformity in their marketing and selling processes. They thus work with techniques where they highlight the desired behavior of the majority. This has proven to be beneficial and effective when it comes to pro-environmental
consumer behavior where it has been shown that a strong influence of pro- environmental consumption behavior actually derives from peer influence and social recognition (Taufique & Vaithianathan, 2018). Many studies agree that the subjective norm has a positive impact on behavioral intention, however, there are various discussions and results about how significant this factor is.
Bong Ko and Jin (2017) consider that subjective norm has a high influence on behavioral intention as well as Verma and Chandra (2018) mention that it has a positive impact. Chen and Hung (2016) also mention that it has a positive impact however not a significant one. Taufique and Vaithianathan (2018) and Yazdanpanah and Forouzani (2016) have in their results concluded that the subjective norm does not have any significant influence on behavioral intention.
It is therefore worth mentioning that the subjective norm on individuals’
behavior is largely affected by culture, where individuals in different countries are more or less likely to be influenced by others depending on how society looks and functions (Taufique & Vaithianathan, 2018). Similarly, Verma and Chandra (2018) also mention that the subjective norm is largely influenced by an individual's own beliefs. According to Bong Ko and Jin (2017), the subjective norm is more influential in cultures characterized as “collective”
(China) than in cultures characterized as being “individual” (USA) because individuals living in collective cultures have a stronger awareness of their referents’ viewpoints, while individual cultures rely on their own viewpoints.
H2
Subjective norm is positively associated with performing sustainable consumption.
2.4.3 Perceived Behavioral Control
The third component in the TPB model is the perceived behavioral control (PBC) which is defined similarly by different authors below;
“The extent to which individuals perceive the behavior to be under their volitional control”
(Yazdanpanah & Forouzani, 2015).
“One’s assessed ability to overcome obstacles and accomplish a behavior (Mancha & Yoder, 2015).
“The perceived ability of performing the target behavior”
(Chen & Hung, 2016).
“The perceived ease or difficulty of performing a behavior”
(Verma & Chandra, 2018).
Precisely, PBC is about individuals’ own approach and judgment to how effectively they can manage the factors that may enable or constrain the necessary actions needed to deal with a specific situation (Verma & Chandra, 2018). PBC also incorporates an important discussion about how essential and crucial individuals’ beliefs are about opportunities and resources required when they are performing a behavior or applying a piece of behavior. In other words, it is about the efforts and difficulties individuals feel when performing one certain behavior. These are described as being able to derive from two aspects thereof the first involves the level of control the individual has when performing a behavior, which may be about the availability of resources such as time and money. The second aspect involves the individual’s confidence in being able to perform the required behavior at all (Chen & Hung, 2016). Bong Ko and Jin (2017) choose to divide PBC and discuss it from an internal and external perspective. The internal perspective refers to individuals’ internal beliefs of whether they are capable of maintaining control over personal capabilities such as adequate planning, confidence, and skills. The external
perspective, on the other hand, refers to individuals’ perception of whether they are capable of maintaining control over external conditions such as time, monetary resources, and availability.
There are various discussions about whether PBC has a significant impact on behavioral intention or not. The authors Cheng and Hun (2018) and Verma and Chandra (2018) have shared opinions in the results of their studies and concluded that PBC has a positive and significant impact on behavioral intention. Maloney et al., (2013) believe that PBC indirectly influences behavioral intention through attitude, also Mancha and Yoder (2015) believe that PBC can strongly predict behavioral intention, however to a lesser degree an actual behavior. On the other hand, Yazdanpanah and Forouzani (2015) consider that perceived behavioral control has no significant impact on the behavioral intention at all.
From a sustainable consumption perspective, PBC is considered according to Cheng and Hung (2016) to significantly affect the intentions towards purchasing and using sustainable products. However, there are various discussions about which factors are crucial for PBC to affect the consumption of sustainable products. Maloney et al., (2014) highlight expensiveness, where the price of sustainable products is exemplified, and it is concluded that an expensive price compared to the price of a non-sustainable product often leads to consumers not purchasing the sustainable product. Bong Ko and Jin (2017) highlight knowledge as a major determinant because knowledge affects the individual's self-efficacy, and by possessing a high self-efficacy, the individual can experience a stronger control over his choice of behavior. In other words, an individual that possesses considerable confidence, skill, and ability when it comes to sustainable products, will have a higher probability to perform sustainable consumption. Bong Ko and Jin (2017) also believe that an individual with facilitating conditions regarding time and monetary resources
is expected to perform sustainable consumption. Chen and Hung (2016) bring a similar discussion and describe that consumers with a sufficient income and ability to judge the importance of taking care of the environment have a higher probability of increasing their devotion to environmental protection, which in turn also increases the behavioral intention towards sustainable consumption.
H3
Perceived behavioral control is positively associated with performing sustainable consumption.
2.4.4 Hypothesis development H1
Attitude is positively associated with performing sustainable consumption.
H2
Subjective norm is positively associated with performing sustainable consumption.
H3
Perceived behavioral control is positively associated with performing sustainable consumption.
