Promoting sustainable shopping through collaborative value creation

What is it about?

With our planet's resources being fast depleted, there has been a push towards sustainable consumption and circular economies. What do these words mean, though? They are processes in which the end products are recycled into something useful. This means less waste and less plundering of natural resources! That is why many retailers, i.e., companies that buy from the producers and sell items to consumers, are now stocking sustainably produced items. But there is a second aspect to this process too. The products need to be used sustainably as well. So how can these companies encourage their clients to be sustainable consumers? A 2023 paper by Saha et al. may have some answers. The authors have built a theoretical framework that could boost sustainable consumption. They have an interesting approach: consumer psychology forms the basis of their framework. They propose that retailers and consumers work together to create value for both factions. This approach is called value co-creation, or VCC. In VCC, consumers interact with brands in a way that allows the latter to understand the former's needs. They also borrow from the SHIFT framework. This talks about the mental state of consumers that can be used to promote sustainable consumption. It forms the theoretical basis of the study. Taking aspects from both these concepts, the authors of this paper have formed a MAPED framework to show retailers how they can respond to a consumer's psychology to promote sustainable consumption. Retailers can use this framework to leverage their consumers' needs and dispositions and drive them towards sustainable consumption.

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Photo by The Nix Company on Unsplash

Photo by The Nix Company on Unsplash

Why is it important?

A worldwide move toward eco-friendly shopping practices reduces waste generation and boosts recycling rates. This is better for the environment. It is also ultimately better for us humans. The study contributes valuable literature towards VCC and sustainable consumption. KEY TAKEAWAY: Retailers looking to promote sustainable consumption can (and should) understand their customers' needs and disposition first. They can then leverage this knowledge to craft their retail strategy in a way that promotes sustainable consumption. Saha et al.'s MAPED-based framework helps explain how retailers can do this, closing the gap between retail and a circular economy. This research relates to the following Sustainable Development Goals: • SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production • SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals • SDG 13: Climate Action • SDG 15: Life on Land