Disclosing antecedents of consumers' materialistic and green values conflict: an exploratory study

Abstract

Purpose

It is known that a conflict exists between consumers’ materialistic and green values. Previous research has focused on values conflict consequences. Antecedents of consumers’ materialistic and green values conflict remain understudied. This study aims to explore the antecedents of consumers’ materialistic and green values conflict.

Design/methodology/approach

An exploratory type research design was applied. Overall 22 interviews were conducted with consumers that had materialistic and green values conflict. The transcripts of the interviews were analyzed using content analysis with Maxqda software.

Findings

The findings demonstrate consumers' negative attitudes towards consumption, understood as consumerism. Results indicate that value conflict is related to unpleasant emotions such as guilt, anxiety, helplessness and remorse. Guilt is the most prominent emotion associated with the conflict of values. The study identifies dissonant information, environmental knowledge, social norms, impulsive buying and mindfulness as antecedents of materialistic and green values conflict.

Originality/value

The novelty of the study is the antecedents of the materialistic and green values conflict. This study makes a valuable contribution to the academic discourse on sustainable consumption, consumer materialism and green values by providing a deeper understanding of the values conflict experienced by consumers who hold materialistic and green values. The main significance of this study is that it provides valuable insights from qualitative research into the antecedents of the conflict between consumers' materialistic and green values.

Citation

Markauskaitė, R. and Rūtelionė, A. (2024), "Disclosing antecedents of consumers' materialistic and green values conflict: an exploratory study", Management of Environmental Quality, Vol. 35 No. 5, pp. 1078-1095. https://doi.org/10.1108/MEQ-08-2023-0275