Tell me what you buy and I will tell you who you are

: a psychological characterization of Millennials sustainable consumption 

Abstract

Sustainable consumption behaviour is a major concern for modern day societies and businesses. Understanding the psychology behind sustainable behaviours is crucial for a sustainable future and widespread behavioural change. As empirical surveys identify Millennials as the most sustainable generation to date, Millennials were chosen to be the target population of this dissertation. This dissertation seeks to (1) investigate what is the psychological profile for sustainable consumer in Millennials; (2) warrant if there is only one (vs. more than one) psychological profile of the Millennials´ sustainable consumer and (3) ascertain which psychological factors predict such profile(s). In order to fulfil the abovementioned goals, this dissertation followed a quantitative approach, with statistical analysis carried out at SPSS software. A convenience sample technique was used, with a total of 329 participants, of which 204 (62%) were female and 125 (38%) male. Data was collected through an online questionnaire. Results indicate that there is not just one psychological profile for sustainable consumer in Millennials, but at least two psychological profiles, based on different type of products (clothing vs. food). These results provide a starting point for developing strategies that marketeers or policy makers can use to reach this economically powerful generation. Furthermore, it contributes to the understanding of the psychological variables of sustainable consumer behaviour and substantiates the body of knowledge in sustainable development.

Date of Award	18 Feb 2021
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Cláudia Simão (Supervisor) & Rita Jerónimo (Co-Supervisor)