IS SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION POSSIBLE IN POLAND? AN EXAMINATION OF CONSUMERS' ATTITUDES TOWARD DECONSUMPTION PRACTICES

Abstract

Deconsumption remains an inherent part of sustainable consumption. Here we argue that collaborative consumption (CC), a new model of satisfying consumers' needs, may also be treated as a symptom of deconsumption. Hence, the goal of this article is twofold: to characterize consumers' attitudes towards deconsumption and CC and to discuss possibility of such changes in Polish consumers' behaviors that would result in their more sustainable approach to consumption. Data used in the paper comes from two studies - qualitative (in-depth interviews among 15 consumers) and quantitative one (survey among 400 consumers). The results suggest that there is a chance that collaborative consumption will play a significant role in the process of converting Polish consumers' behaviors. On the one hand it may represent the only form of deconsumption accepted by some Poles. On the other hand, CC may be perceived as a first step to broader adoption of deconsumption practices and to more sustainable consumption.