Sustainable consumer behavior

Abstract Most agree that climate change is a serious threat. It has increasingly been recognized by scientists and policymakers as a consumer behavior issue: What, how, and how much people consume directly impacts the environment. Sustainable consumer behavior is behavior that attempts to satisfy present needs while simultaneously benefiting or limiting environmental impact. Moreover, understanding sustainable consumer behavior is central to any paradigm shifts in how society approaches environmental problems. This article summarizes and organizes research from the past 20 years and explores the psychological drivers of sustainable consumer behavior. Four areas of scientific inquiry that have dominated research agendas are identified: (a) cognitive barriers, (b) the self, (c) social influence, and (d) product characteristics. The objective is to provide a valuable research tool that stimulates additional research in the area of sustainable consumer behavior.