Understanding the impacts of emotions and knowledge on the consumer’s behaviour towards sustainable clothing – a Brazilian’s perspective.
(A2022-107558)

AUTHORS

Ana Raquel Pinzon de Souza, University of Leeds; Iva Bimpli, University of Leeds; Mariana Bassi Suter, Toulouse Business School; Yanyan CHEN, Toulouse Business School

ABSTRACT

Previous literature found heavy pollution during the manufacturing process in the textile industry and thus placed large emphasis on the possible sustainable solutions. This research aimed to provide a holistic understanding of the purchase behaviour towards sustainable clothing in Brazil. Applying TPB/RAA (Theory of Planned Behaviour and Reasoned Action Approach), we try to explore the role of anticipated emotions (guilt and pride) and consumer knowledge on consumers purchase intention towards sustainable clothing, through attitude, perceived norm, and perceived behavioural control. Through 506 Brazilian consumers, our SEM findings demonstrated a positive impact of anticipated guilt on attitude and subjective norm and while no significant effects on perceived behavioural control (PBC) and intention. Anticipated pride shows significant impacts on attitude, PBC, and a direct effect on intention, while no significant influence on the subjective norm was found. Consumer knowledge influenced attitude, subjective norm, and PBC, while there was no evidence supporting a significant impact on intention. Attitude and PBC affected the purchase intention. Subjective norm has not demonstrated any significant influence on intention, which significantly explained purchase behaviour. Our results contribute to understand the effects of customers’ emotion and knowledge on the purchase behaviour of sustainable clothing in an under-researched context, Brazil. The results also highlight that stakeholders could invest in emotional appeals, especially pride, and information, to incentivise sustainable clothing consumption.