Among sacrifices, fears and responsibilities: Analysis of the motivational structure of ecological consumption

Abstract

According to some data sources, ecological consumption in recent years has experienced a notable increase among some sectors of society. However, quantitative data are perhaps not sufficiently adequate to determine what consumers refer to when they talk about ecological consumption (beyond the official definitions) or to understand why consumers of ecological products want this type of consumption. The aim of the present study is to answer these questions by means of a certain socio-motivational analysis and a qualitative approach with focus group and interview techniques. The objective is to set the basic motivational structure of ecological consumption, as this has the ability to reveal different motivational processes that govern the image of what ecology and consumption is. We find that insofar as ecological consumption is a significantly and emotionally overloaded symbol, it affirms that it is a particular phenomenon and in some aspects differential within the predominant forms of contemporary consumption.