How do ethical consumers utilize sharing economy platforms as part of their sustainable resale behavior? The role of consumers’ green consumption values

Abstract

Past research has extensively studied the antecedents and consequences of consumers’ green consumption values, as well as the psychological mechanisms that underlie an ethical consumer. Yet a frustrating paradox remains, indicated by the consumers’ intention–behavior gap for their sustainable behavior. To address this gap, the present study focuses on the consumption values that lead to using a sharing economy platform. Our study draws on the theory of consumption values and altruistic–egoistic values, as well as spillover effect psychology, to examine associations between context-specific values, green consumption values, and sustainable resale behavior. By collaborating with a Nordic second-hand peer-to-peer platform brand, our findings—obtained from large-scale field data (n = 3256)—challenge the conventional wisdom by demonstrating that economic and practical values for using the second-hand peer-to-peer platform negatively affect green consumption values and subsequently weaken the consumers’ preparedness to engage in sustainable resale behavior. In contrast, recreational, generative, societal benefit, and protestor values positively influence green consumption values and increase the consumers’ willingness to engage in pro-environmental behavior. Further, such relationships are moderated by gender: stronger effects were identified among female consumers. These findings have important implications for theory and practice.