Flying in the face of environmental concern: why green consumers continue to fly.

McDonald, Seonaidh; Oates, Caroline J.; Thyne, Maree; Timmis, Andrew J.; Carlile, Claire

Abstract

Some unsustainable consumer behaviours have proved extremely hard to change or even challenge. Despite the fact that flying can be more damaging than any other activity that an individual can undertake, many otherwise green consumers still choose to fly, offering an opportunity to elicit narratives about the differences between their attitudes and behaviours. Qualitative interview data were gathered from self-selected green consumers and set within a cognitive dissonance analytical framework. Four strategies were uncovered: not changing travel behaviour (but offering justifications related to travel product, travel context or personal identity); reducing or restricting flights; changing other behaviours to compensate for flying; and stopping flying. This analysis furthers research on green consumer rationales for (un)sustainable behaviours and suggests several avenues for sustainable marketing management.

Citation

MCDONALD, S., OATES, C.J., THYNE, M., TIMMIS, A.J. and CARLILE, C. 2015. Flying in the face of environmental concern: why green consumers continue to fly. Journal of marketing management [online], 31(13-14), pages 1503-1528. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/0267257X.2015.1059352

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Aug 13, 2015
• Online Publication Date: Aug 13, 2015
• Publication Date: Aug 31, 2015
• Deposit Date: Sep 9, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 9, 2015
• Journal: Journal of marketing management
• Print ISSN: 0267-257X
• Electronic ISSN: 1472-1376
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 31
• Issue: 13-14
• Pages: 1503-1528
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/0267257X.2015.1059352
• Keywords: Rationales; Attitude behaviour gap; Sustainability marketing; Cognitive dissonance; Sustainable consumption; Travel decisions
• Public URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10059/1289