Breaking the green gap: how behavioral economics drives sustainable consumer choices

Abstract

Purpose: This study investigates how behavioral economics principles influence consumer sustainability choices, with particular emphasis on nudging strategies and the attitude-behavior gap in environmental decision-making. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative interpretive study employing semi-structured interviews with 35 consumers across diverse demographic and psychographic profiles. The research integrates behavioral artifacts collection with traditional interview methods, using an integrated theoretical framework combining Dual-Process Theory, Theory of Planned Behavior, Nudge Theory, Prospect Theory, and Social Norms Theory. Findings: The study reveals four primary themes explaining sustainable consumption: dual-system processing where automatic and deliberative systems compete in environmental choices; social norm activation and identity conflicts arising from peer influence and community expectations; choice architecture and contextual influences shaping sustainable behaviors; and temporal discounting and loss aversion dynamics that systematically bias decisions toward immediate costs over future environmental benefits. Research limitations/implications: The qualitative approach limits statistical generalization, while the cross-sectional design restricts causal inference. Future research should examine longitudinal behavior change patterns and test intervention effectiveness across cultural contexts. Practical implications: Findings inform policy design for sustainable consumption promotion, ethical marketing strategies incorporating behavioral insights, and consumer empowerment tools for bridging the attitude-behavior gap. Social implications: The research contributes to understanding how individual behavior change can support broader sustainability transitions, addressing critical environmental challenges through consumer choice architecture. Originality/value: This study provides novel insights into the psychological mechanisms underlying sustainable consumption decisions, offering an integrated theoretical framework for understanding and influencing environmental consumer behavior through behavioral economics principles.