From East to West: Contrasting Türkiye and Europe in Terms of Sustainable Consumer Behavior

Authors : Ümmühan Akbay

Pages : 137-154

View : 85 | Download : 60

Publication Date : 2025-06-30

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Sustainable consumption involves the redirection of individual consumption habits towards more sustainable alternatives. Presently, sustainable and environmentally friendly products are often either more expensive, less accessible, or less comfortable compared to traditional products. Consequently, sustainable consumption frequently necessitates paying higher prices for comparable products or sacrificing convenience. This study compares Türkiye and 22 European countries that participated in the ISSP 2010 Environment III dataset in terms of sustainable consumption behavior. Here we measure sustainable consumption behavior using three questions that measure the willingness to pay more, pay additional taxes, and sacrifice living standards to protect the environment. The responses to these questions are compared across countries and between male and female participants. Additionally, the study analyzes the effects of age, education, and personal income on sustainable consumption. It is observed that citizens in higher-income countries, based on GDP per capita, demonstrate more willingness toward sustainable consumption. Across all countries, there is a significant increase in the willingness for sustainable consumption as the level of education rises. Personal monthly income levels also support the willingness for sustainable consumption in most countries. According to the analysis, among the European countries Türkiye’s sustainable consumption willingness is close to the median but less than the median.
Keywords : Sürdürülebilirlik, Sürdürülebilir tüketici davranışı, Kültürel farklılıklar

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