Abstract
This paper examines the intention-action gap in sustainable and ethical consumption as observed amongst Generation Z, born between 1997 and 2012. The idea of the intention-action gap traces back to Cowe and Williamson’s 30:3 syndrome (2000), describing the fact that while a third of consumers profess an intention to shop sustainably, the market share of sustainable brands was below 3 percent.
We aim to make two distinct contributions to the literature, with a view to informing practice. The first is to investigate the factors that contribute to the intention gap in sustainable and ethical consumption by Gen Z consumers. The second is to examone the suitability of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TBP) as devised by Ajzen (1991) as a model for theorising purchasing decisions by Gen Z consumers and propose a new formulation.