Document Type
Article
Date of Original Version
2025
Department
Human Development and Family Science
Abstract
Sustainable consumer behavior refers to any behavior that benefits environmental protection and social justice. Previous research has shown that sustainable consumer behavior is positively associated with consumer wellbeing. Recycling behavior is a type of sustainable behavior that has been studied extensively. However, research on behavior change in recycling is limited. The purpose of this study is to identify the change stages for recycling behavior among American consumers. Using national data collected in the U.S. and under the guidance of the transtheoretical model of behavior change (TTM), the results showed that most Americans engage in recycling behavior, but a minority of them do not. Among them, 13% have never considered recycling in the near future. We also identified the differences in behavior change stages in terms of psychological, cognitive, socioeconomic, and environmental factors. The findings have implications for policy makers, business professionals, and consumer educators to develop strategies to encourage consumer recycling behavior.
Publication Title, e.g., Journal
Recycling
Volume
10
Issue
3
Citation/Publisher Attribution
Xiao, J. J., & Xia, F. (2025). Sustainable Consumer Behavior: Identifying Behavior Change Stages in Recycling in the USA. Recycling, 10(3), 111. https://doi.org/10.3390/recycling10030111
Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/recycling10030111
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.