engleski

The Citizen-Consumer - Exploring the characteristics, motivating factors and barriers of responsible consumption

The true integration of sustainable development concept into the market comes with the necessity to understand the ever-rising concept of the citizen-consumer. The notion combines the two contradictory ideologies of accomplishing self-interest as well as broader, societal good while being in the position of consumer. This paper explores the citizen-consumer concept that is heavily under-researched at the same time carrying a great potential for businesses to understand the contemporary responsible consumers and serving as a valuable input for policy-makers in their social marketing challenges. The purpose of the article is to further establish the citizen-consumer concept in terms of the sustainable consumer behaviour and to explore consumers’ awareness of their responsibility as well as underlying motives, attitudes, beliefs and reported behaviour relative to their respective consumers’ choices and sustainability lifestyle. For the purpose of the research 6 focus groups were conducted with the total sample of 48 selected purposefully according to their sustainability lifestyle and their level of income. Croatian consumers very vaguely perceive its role of being a citizen and consumer simultaneously. The behaviour of citizen and the behaviour of the consumer is sometimes competing, sometimes complementary and/or mutually reinforcing. LOHAS consumers, especially the ones with greater buying power have the citizen-consumer behavioural hybrid is complementary or reinforcing as long as it does not negatively influence the minimal personal comfort. Unfortunately, for the low-income respondents, the relationship is positive only when the available budget allows that. in spite of stated responsible attitudes. Therefore, it signals the need for larger governmental engagement onto the corporate strategies of companies and products targeting lower income groups.

the citizen-consumer; responsible consumer behaviour; sustainability marketing; Croatia; focus groups

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