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Consumer Attitude towards Sustainability of Fast Fashion Products in the UK

Author

Listed:
  • Bo Zhang

    (School of Economics and Management, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China)

  • Yaozhong Zhang

    (School of Art and Design, Shenyang Normal University, Shenyang 110034, China
    Cardiff School of Management, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff CF10 3EU, UK)

  • Peng Zhou

    (Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3EU, UK)

Abstract

This paper attempts to provide an up-to-date depiction and analysis of the consumer’s attitude towards sustainability of fast fashion products in the UK. Four related strands of literature are reviewed to establish a tri-component model of attitude (ABC), i.e., Affective, Behavioural and Cognitive. A wide set of determinants for attitude is identified, including income, price, gender, culture, religion, age, etc. Based on this conceptual framework, an online questionnaire is designed and sent to university students and alumni in the UK, returning 128 valid responses. Both descriptive statistics and regression analysis (oprobit) are employed to shed light on the three components of attitude towards sustainability. It is found that cognitive and behavioural components converge across cultures and religions, but the affective component remains significantly diverse. Employment status contributes to the awareness, decision and feeling of sustainability features, but gender only matters for purchase decisions. In general, there is an improved cognitive and affective awareness of sustainability, but this does not automatically translate to purchase behaviour. Policy interventions like taxes and subsidies are still needed to foster sustainability in the fast fashion industry.

Suggested Citation

  • Bo Zhang & Yaozhong Zhang & Peng Zhou, 2021. "Consumer Attitude towards Sustainability of Fast Fashion Products in the UK," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-23, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:4:p:1646-:d:492805
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Madeleine Marcella-Hood, 2023. "Augmenting Sustainable Fashion on Instagram," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-16, February.
    3. Micol Barletta & Idiano D'Adamo & Jose Arturo Garza‐Reyes & Massimo Gastaldi, 2024. "Business strategy and innovative models in the fashion industry: Clothing leasing as a driver of sustainability," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(5), pages 4730-4743, July.
    4. Sae Eun Lee & Kyu-Hye Lee, 2024. "Environmentally sustainable fashion and conspicuous behavior," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-10, December.
    5. Chuanlan Liu & Jeremy M. Bernardoni & Zhongjie Wang, 2023. "Examining Generation Z Consumer Online Fashion Resale Participation and Continuance Intention through the Lens of Consumer Perceived Value," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-18, May.
    6. Piotr Zaborek & Dominika Nowakowska, 2024. "Can Corporate Social Responsibility Shift Consumer Behavior? Insights from Scenario-Based Experiment in the Fast Fashion Industry," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-21, November.
    7. Cristel Joy G. Cayaban & Yogi Tri Prasetyo & Satria Fadil Persada & Rianina D. Borres & Ma. Janice J. Gumasing & Reny Nadlifatin, 2023. "The Influence of Social Media and Sustainability Advocacy on the Purchase Intention of Filipino Consumers in Fast Fashion," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-20, May.
    8. Jessica Strübel & Saheli Goswami & Ji Hye Kang & Rosemary Leger, 2023. "Improving Society and the Planet: Sustainability and Fashion Post-Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-23, August.
    9. Andrzej Poszewiecki & Joanna Czerepko, 2022. "New Trends in Consumption in Poland as Shown by the Example of a Freeshop Concept," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-16, November.
    10. Mafalda Nogueira & Bruno Silva & Sandra Gomes, 2023. "The Impact of Customer-Centric Sustainability on Brand Relationships," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-15, August.
    11. Chih-Hung Hsu & An-Yuan Chang & Ting-Yi Zhang & Wei-Da Lin & Wan-Ling Liu, 2021. "Deploying Resilience Enablers to Mitigate Risks in Sustainable Fashion Supply Chains," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-24, March.
    12. Luigi Leclercq-Machado & Aldo Alvarez-Risco & Romina Gómez-Prado & Berdy Briggitte Cuya-Velásquez & Sharon Esquerre-Botton & Flavio Morales-Ríos & Camila Almanza-Cruz & Sarahit Castillo-Benancio & Mar, 2022. "Sustainable Fashion and Consumption Patterns in Peru: An Environmental-Attitude-Intention-Behavior Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-18, August.
    13. Marie Stenton & Veronika Kapsali & Richard S. Blackburn & Joseph A. Houghton, 2021. "From Clothing Rations to Fast Fashion: Utilising Regenerated Protein Fibres to Alleviate Pressures on Mass Production," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-18, September.
    14. Radka MacGregor Pelikánová & Martin Hála, 2021. "CSR Unconscious Consumption by Generation Z in the COVID-19 Era—Responsible Heretics Not Paying CSR Bonus?," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-19, August.
    15. Xiaoqian Lu & Tong Sheng & Xiaolan Zhou & Chaohai Shen & Bingquan Fang, 2022. "How Does Young Consumers’ Greenwashing Perception Impact Their Green Purchase Intention in the Fast Fashion Industry? An Analysis from the Perspective of Perceived Risk Theory," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-17, October.
    16. Clyde Eiríkur Hull & Jennifer D. Russell & Monika Kukar-Kinney, 2022. "Making Sustainability a Core Competency: Consumer Response to Sustainable Innovative Products," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-15, September.
    17. Siti Hasnah Hassan & Jasmine A. L. Yeap & Nabil Hasan Al-Kumaim, 2022. "Sustainable Fashion Consumption: Advocating Philanthropic and Economic Motives in Clothing Disposal Behaviour," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-17, February.
    18. James Costantini & Kyoka Costantini, 2022. "Communications on Sustainability in the Apparel Industry: Readability of Information on Sustainability on Apparel Brands’ Web Sites in the United Kingdom," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-10, October.
    19. Elizabeth Kempen & Rejoice Tobias-Mamina & Mariette Strydom & Lorna Christie & Lorna Christie, 2023. "Female Consumers’ Involvement in Intentional Non-Sustainable and Unintentional Sustainable Apparel Decisions: An Emerging Market Perspective," Journal of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour in Emerging Markets, University of Warsaw, Faculty of Management, vol. 1(16), pages 1-21.
    20. Barbara Gawior & Michal Polasik & Josep Lluís del Olmo, 2022. "Credit Card Use, Hedonic Motivations, and Impulse Buying Behavior in Fast Fashion Physical Stores during COVID-19: The Sustainability Paradox," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-16, March.
    21. Manoela Lawall Radtke & Stefânia Ordovás de Almeida & Lélis Balestrin Espartel, 2022. "What Brought Me Here? Different Consumer Journeys for Practices of Sustainable Disposal through Takeback Programmes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-25, April.
    22. Zaineb Hlioui & Mohamed Gabsi & Abdelwahed Omri, 2022. "Informal Competition Effect on SMEs’ Innovation: Do Credit Constraints Matter? Evidence from Eastern European Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-23, October.
    23. Radka MacGregor Pelikánová & Tereza Němečková & Robert K. MacGregor, 2021. "CSR Statements in International and Czech Luxury Fashion Industry at the Onset and during the COVID-19 Pandemic—Slowing Down the Fast Fashion Business?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-19, March.
    24. Evangelia Ktisti & Leonidas Hatzithomas & Christina Boutsouki, 2022. "Green Advertising on Social Media: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-25, November.

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