Factors leading consumers to environmentally and socially responsible behaviour

What are the key antecedents, factors and moderators that influence environmentally friendly and socially responsible consumer behaviour? Individual consumers buy products and services not only for their intrinsic satisfactory functionalities. They make their consumption choices also because of specific extrinsic products/service abilities to affirm their lifestyle choice, i.e. enhance their self-concepts and satisfy their psychological needs. Given that despite the recent increase of interest in sustainable consumer behaviour, little is known on sustainable consumer aspirations, this study aims at filling the research gap in this area of academic research. This study investigates ad hoc literature in Lifestyle Strategic Marketing, Branding, Social Psychology and Self-Concept Theory applicable in Green and Fair Trade Operational Marketing . Mixed research methods are used in three distinct studies: (a) laboratory experiment, (b) SurveyMonkeyTM online questionnaire analyzed quantitatively, and (c) SPSS and SEM software data management and analysis. They are conducted in France and based on the common research models, i.e. the Theory of reasoned action (TRA) founded by Fishbein & Ajzen (1975) and the Theory of planned behaviour (TPB) coined by Ajzen (1991). Specific attitudes towards environmentally friendly and fair-trade products and services are derived from Value sets, Awareness of Consequences beliefs and Environmental Concern evaluations; therefore in the third partial study we adapt the research model proposed by Hansla et al. (2008). In all of them is employed a convenience sampling method that allows to gather between 109 and 350 respondents. Results allow for identification of salient factors influencing consumer purchasing intention and willingness to adopt and pay for both environmentally friendly and socially responsible products and/or services.