Resumo

Consumption and sustainability are two phenomena that, when articulated, produce a series of activities that impact cultural, ecological, economic, political, and social issues in society (Heiskanen & Pantzar, 1997). Practical results were investigated through different perspectives, producing several concepts that overlap in descriptions and understandings (García-de-Frutos et al., 2018). Several literature reviews have been conducted, whether on a specific construct or even covering diverse concepts. However, these reviews do not succeed to involve all the concepts.

This literature review aims to comprehend, from a qualitative perspective, conceptually the different types of consumption towards sustainability present in the literature. Fifteen terms were identified, which were classified into twelve concepts, which are related – alternative, anti-consumption, collaborative, conscious, critical, ethical, frugal, green, mindful, political, responsible, and sustainable. The analysis sought to present the history of the construct, analysis levels, emerging issues, and possible action motives.

It was chosen to use the conception consumption towards sustainability related to a set of studies that seek to investigate, conceptual and/or empirically, the phenomena linked to consumption process – related to the activities of appreciation, acquisition, appropriation, and post-use of products and services – that have at least some relation to sustainability dimensions – i.e. ecological, economic, or social.

Discussion on production and consumption patterns increased since the 1960s (Heiskanen & Pantzar, 1997). Since then, several constructs and empirical studies have been conducted introducing in a conceptual and analytical plurality. At first, a historical context is presented, whit elements that contributed to the different concepts analyzed, followed by the different constructs of consumption towards sustainability.

Through the concatenation of historical facts, the research presents some historical events that influenced different the constructs linked to what is considered consumption towards sustainability. Analyzing the history that articulates consumption and sustainability, it is possible to notice the conceptual overlap of several concepts, ideas, and understandings.

García-de-Frutos, N., Ortega-Egea, J. M., & Martínez-del-Río, J. (2018). Anti-consumption for Environmental Sustainability: Conceptualization, Review, and Multilevel Research Directions. Journal of Business Ethics, 148(2), 411–435. Heiskanen, E., & Pantzar, M. (1997). Toward Sustainable Consumption: Two New Perspectives. Journal of Consumer Policy, 20(4), 409–442. Shove, E., Pantzar, M., & Watson, M. (2012). The dynamics of social practice: Everyday life and how it changes. In The Dynamics of Social Practice: Everyday Life and How it Changes. Sage.