Traces of cultural and personal values on sustainable consumption: An analysis of a small local swap event in Izmir, Turkey

Abstract

A shift to the use of more eco‐friendly products and production methods is not sufficient to reverse the negative impacts of the Anthropocene period. Irrational overconsumption and production patterns should be abolished and redesigned to remain within the Earth's carrying capacity. Over‐consumption in Turkey is a part of the problem. At the juncture of Europe and Asia, Turkey has a wide variety of consumer behaviors, ranging from conservative habits to shopping sprees, especially with the rapid transition to an open economy in developing cities with contemporized lifestyles. On the one hand, consumption and material culture have quickly diffused among the younger population, who have an important share in the demographic structure and who adopt new information technologies and follow global trends. On the other hand, sharing and collaboration are core elements of the established culture. With that notion in mind, Karsiyaka municipality and the alternative education cooperation BBOM Izmir organized a swap event. The aim of the research, was to discover the views of participants on sustainability and swapping as an alternative collaborative consumption method. The results of the interviews and observations from the swap event revealed the traces of personal and cultural values on the participants' perspectives on sustainability concept and swapping. The results also showed correlations and differences with the literature. The perceptions and expectations of local consumers about swap and the concept of sustainability are mismatched with what we profoundly need for our goal of sustainability.

Doing more with less: An integrative literature review on responsible consumption behaviour

“…Another means that social concern may influence sustainable behaviour is through “social desirability.” Consumers commonly choose sustainable solutions to impress others (Perera, Kalantari Daronkola, & Johnson, 2022; Pristl et al, 2021), and they promote high‐involvement sustainable options (e.g., hybrid autos) to signal their social standing to others. Authors, on the other hand, frequently see sustainable practices unfavourably, leading some consumers to eschew pro‐environmental (Uckan Yuksel & Kaya, 2021). The two most important socio‐psychological aspects that affect the RC are individual characteristics (consumer age, gender, income, education, and values) and contextual factors (cultural norms, media messages, and public policy) (Delistavrou et al, 2021).…”

“…Motivating responsible consumption depends on both individual and contextual characteristics. Yet studies show that RC may be influenced more by contextual than personal factors (Perlaviciute & Steg, 2014; Uckan Yuksel & Kaya, 2021). This is because contextual factors can influence the entire environment in which consumers make purchase decisions, increasing the likelihood that they will engage in RC (Sun et al, 2022).…”

Cultivating sustainable consumption: The role of harmonious cultural values and pro‐environmental self‐identity

“…Scholars are increasingly recognising the merit of researching cultural values to explain pro‐environmental behaviour (Chan, 2001; Chekima et al, 2016; Chwialkowska et al, 2020; Czarnecka & Schivinski, 2021; Kuanr et al, 2021; McCarty & Shrum, 2001; Nguyen et al, 2022; Polonsky et al, 2014; Sreen et al, 2018; Yin et al, 2018; Yuksei & Kaya, 2020). This is because cultural values represent an enduring belief system that guides the roles and relationships of individuals within their society.…”

“…Furthermore, McCarty and Shrum (2001) highlight the need to study cultural influence on pro‐environmental behaviours at the individual psychological level, for example, identity. Currently, empirical evidence is rather limited, with no clear consensus on the cultural values‐identity influence on pro‐environmental, or sustainable consumption behaviours (Chwialkowska et al, 2020; Czarnecka & Schivinski, 2021; Soyez, 2012; Yuksei & Kaya, 2020), and with less endeavour connecting to identity (see Table 1, to be discussed in Section 2.1).…”

Sustainability factors affecting caregivers' toy preferences: An evaluation of e‐commerce best sellers in Turkey

“…If mobile applications developed to support sustainability and extend product life cycles are excluded, there is a perception that only low‐income people use second‐hand products (Uckan Yuksel & Kaya, 2021). Perceiving second‐hand products as an indicator of poverty may cause consumers to worry about the loss of their social status and prestige.…”