Balancing Luxury and Sustainability: Insights into Consumer Behavior across Countries

Abstract

This chapter presents empirical research findings to explore the complex relationship between luxury and sustainability and its impact on consumer behavior. The study investigated whether consumers naturally associate sustainability with traditional motives to purchase luxury. It was conducted across diverse cultural backgrounds (i.e., UK and Kuwait) and luxury categories. The research revealed that consumers’ perception of luxury as sustainable (regardless of being labeled as sustainable) positively influences their perceptions of luxury quality and material aspects, thereby boosting their intention to purchase luxury items. However, an interesting finding emerged––while perceived sustainability enhances specific dimensions of luxury, it also diminishes others. It was observed to reduce consumers’ perceptions of pleasure, self-expression, traditional values typically associated with luxury goods, and various social values. These findings were consistent across cultural contexts. The research suggests that luxury brands can leverage this connection to advance their international branding strategies by aligning superior quality and durability with perceived sustainability. It also advises emphasizing the hedonic aspect of purchasing sustainable luxury to mitigate potential backlash from a perceived significant disconnect between sustainability and pleasure, providing practical guidance for luxury brand managers.

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