When Green Attitudes Don’t Pay: The Role of Sustainability in Repair Attitude vs. Willingness to Pay for Repairs
(A2025-125773)

AUTHORS

Cecile Kornmann, IU International University of Applied Sciences; Benjamin Schulte, ISM International School of Management GmbH; Michael Buttkus, Sopra Steria; Michelle Magel, Horváth AG

ABSTRACT

Repairing products instead of replacing them is a key step toward promoting sustainable consumption. Despite efforts like the EU’s Right to Repair legislation, repair rates remain low due to persistent barriers. This study surveyed n = 760 participants from five European countries and used multiple regression analysis to investigate repair attitudes and payment for repairs across three product categories. Results show that while CSR and sustainability attitudes positively influence repair attitudes, they do not lead to higher financial commitment, underscoring the attitude-behavior gap. Cost sensitivity and a preference for new products strongly deter repair behaviors, while a preference to preserve drives willingness to pay, reflecting emotional attachment to owned items. The findings highlight the importance of strategies such as repair guarantees, financial incentives, and integrating repairability into CSR initiatives to reduce barriers.