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Fill the gap: The factors influencing people with an ethical mindset to still buy non-ethical fashion

Wehring, Anna (2021) Fill the gap: The factors influencing people with an ethical mindset to still buy non-ethical fashion.

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Abstract:Nowadays, the trend of ethical consumerism is indispensable. However, although many people have an ethical mindset, they often do not translate their attitudes into purchasing sustainable products. This study aims to understand the so-called attitude-behaviour gap in the ethical fashion industry and studies reasons that keep people from purchasing sustainable fashion. Therefore, the research question is "What are the factors influencing people with an ethical mindset to still buy non-ethical fast fashion?" To uncover the hidden motives, a total of 18 quantitative interviews were conducted and analysed. The interviewees were reached through snowball sampling. The average age of the participants was 35,3 years ranging from 19 to 73. Ten participants were female, and eight were male. The results show that the most reasons people decide against ethical fashion are institutional factors such as the availability and economic factors such as the price. Contradictory to these findings but possibly in line with the attitude-behaviour gap, the motivation to purchase sustainable fashion was very high. Limitations of this study were that most of the interviews were held online due to the pandemic and that the diversity of cultures of the participants could be improved. The main recommendation for future research is examining the effect of culture on ethical purchasing behaviour because the influence of a national and an individual's culture in purchasing behaviour remains unexamined. Practical implications for companies, organisations, and schools fill the people's knowledge gap and educate them about the real-world consequences of their behaviour.
Item Type:Essay (Bachelor)
Faculty:BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences
Subject:05 communication studies
Programme:Communication Studies BSc (56615)
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/86497
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