Consumer perceptions of energy and clothes shopping: a high street survey

Jones, C.R. and McCreesh, N. and Storey, H. and McIntosh, A. and Koh, S.C.L. and Williams, D. (2017). Consumer perceptions of energy and clothes shopping: a high street survey. [Data Collection]. Colchester, Essex: UK Data Archive. 10.5255/UKDA-SN-852028

Energy and fashion retailers face the common challenge of encouraging the reduced consumption of saleable products in order to promote sustainability, while simultaneously maintaining financial prosperity.

The TRading Approaches to Nurturing Sustainable consumption in Fashion and Energy Retail (TRANSFER) project was designed to facilitate knowledge exchange between these retail sectors and other stakeholders.

The aims of TRANSFER were twofold: (1) to bring together representatives of the energy and fashion retail sectors, with academic experts and other stakeholders, to exchange best practice around the promotion of sustainable consumption to consumers; and (2) to investigate how efforts to promote sustainable consumption within these sectors is received and responded to by consumers.

These aims were achieved through a series of participatory knowledge exchange and public engagement activities (including commercial partner workshops, public focus groups and a public exhibition) coordinated by a trans-disciplinary team of academics from the University of Sheffield and the London College of Fashion.

Drawing on theory from the disciplines of psychology, management and fashion; this project affords better understanding of how initiatives intended to promote conscientious consumption of fashion and energy can be successfully implemented in order to have maximum, beneficial impact on the attitudes and behaviour of consumers.

Data description (abstract)

SPSS data file and questionnaires from a High Street survey conducted as part of the TRANSFER project. A total of 138 members of the general public (mix of genders and ages) were sampled in Sheffield (n = 111), Stockport (n = 19) and Manchester (n = 8), United Kingdom, in June/July 2014.

Respondents completed either a questionnaire about purchasing 'green' energy tariffs (n = 61) or 'sustainable' clothing (n =77). The questionnaires were the same except for the target product (i.e. energy vs. clothing).

The first section comprised items relating to respondents' interest, involvement, usage and consideration of the environmental impacts relating to the target product; and the importance of different factors (e.g. advertising) when purchasing the target product.

The second section was based upon the Theory of Planned Behaviour and assessed respondents' attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, personal norms and intentions regarding the purchase of the target product. An assessment of respondents' present engagement in a number of pro-environmental behaviours was also taken.

The third section asked respondents to comment on the perceived motivations/actions of clothing/energy companies regarding the promotion of sustainability; and assessed the respondents ecological worldview using a short-form New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) scale.

The fourth section comprised two free response items where respondents were invited to compete two sentences regarding shopping for the target product. Age, Gender and Bill-payer status were also recorded.

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