Sustainable consumption in China: New trends and research interests

Abstract

China is currently the largest CO2 emitter in the world and demonstrates one of the highest levels of energy consumption. The sustainable consumption behavior has increased in China, especially in urban cities. Some clear evidence of this includes food purchasing behavior. Recent studies have also suggested that considering full product information transparency, consumers are willing to pay premium prices for products. With this in mind, sustainable consumption must still be facilitated by related policies, regulations, and tools. This study focuses on sustainable consumption behavior in China and collects and analyzes the literature from the last decade (2007–2017) on the topic. In so doing, it highlights new trends and research topics against the background of circular economy development. The method of systematic review is applied. The review is categorized into several main groups: national policies and regulations, the green awareness of consumers, the definition of related concepts, the barriers between sustainable consumption and the circular economy, and the indicators for circular economy assessment in China. Future research directions are discussed. Furthermore, future challenges are addressed from three perspectives: sustainable consumption facilitating the circular economy, “cradle‐to‐cradle” practices, and the link between the European Union and China. This is a fundamental study in the research domain of sustainable consumption behavior. It provides added value that benefits both academic researchers and decision makers. It also sheds light on the further study of sustainable consumption behavior in China from a macroeconomic perspective.

Influencing Factors of Chinese Consumers’ Purchase Intention to Sustainable Apparel Products: Exploring Consumer “Attitude–Behavioral Intention” Gap

“…The latest studies have also indicated that considering full product information transparency, consumers are inclined to pay premium prices for goods [18] ( Shao and Ünal, 2019). In 2001, the China Consumers Association summarized the concept of green consumption as having three aims: to encourage consumers to choose green products that are beneficial to health or non-pollutive; to reasonably dispose of waste in the process of consumption, and to guide the changing concept of consumption and encourage more attention to be paid to environmental protection, resource conservation, and sustainable consumption while pursuing comfort and health [19] (Shao, 2019).…”

“…China is currently facing severe environmental distress, which will require a shift in the consumer culture to allow for a fair sharing of resource access within the limits imposed by the environmental boundaries. However, most consumers are not inclined to reduce their level of consumption, although they may be ready to change its composition toward sustainable consumerism [2,19] (Chi, 2015;Shao, 2019). To overcome public reservation and avoid individualism-based materialism dominating the pursuit of good living standards and the concept of the public good, a new combination of public regulation, citizenship, education, and media information will be necessary.…”

Does China's carbon emissions trading policy improve the technology innovation of relevant enterprises?

“…Meanwhile, this assessment is meaningful to the transformation of drivers behind China's economic growth and the sound development of carbon trading market. Moreover, as the world's largest developing country and carbon‐emitting country, China plays a vital role in global carbon emissions abatement (Shao, ; Xun, ). The results in this paper will help policy makers perfect the CET system and may also promote the CET‐covered enterprises to carry out low‐carbon technology innovation to better achieve the reduction of carbon emissions in China.…”

Sustainable development and circular economy: The role of institutional promotion on circular consumption and market competitiveness from a multistakeholder engagement approach

“…Consumers could seek economic incentives or savings in products with lower tax in order to achieve a good value for money and, at the same time, to feel that they choose a fashion choice (Alonso‐Almeida, 2019). In other words, an increase of the feeling of “being the first one.” Moreover, given that today's consumers are pursuing more sustainable ways of consumption (Alonso‐Almeida et al, 2020; Shao, 2019; Venugopal & Shukla, 2019), their motivation could be reinforced.…”