Mindful consumption: cultivating sustainable consumption behavior for food and clothing through mindfulness among Generation Z

Purpose Generation Z (GenZers) significantly influences sustainability-related issues in emerging economies like India. Literature on sustainability suggests exploring ways to enhance their sustainable behavior, especially for food and clothing products, which have detrimental consequences despite being essential. Mindfulness is often proposed as a factor that could potentially influence sustainability. However, the empirical association between mindfulness and sustainable consumption behavior (SCB) and the underlying pathways remain underexplored. Therefore, this study aims to advance the empirical understanding of how GenZers’ trait mindfulness affects their SCB for food and clothing. Design/methodology/approach Based on a time-lagged study involving responses from 519 Indian GenZers (college students aged 18–24 years) the authors examined two models (one for SCB related to food and one for clothing) to explore the direct relationships and mediating factors between trait mindfulness and SCB. Findings GenZers with higher levels of trait mindfulness are more likely to influence their SCB for food and clothing. Besides, in both models, self-regulation, self-compassion and prosocialness mediate the association between trait mindfulness and SCB. Research limitations/implications Mindfulness and its intervening variables are promising for positively driving SCB for food and clothing. Marketers and policymakers can consider these findings to strategize and encourage sustainable consumption, particularly among GenZers. Originality/value This seminal study uses the reperceiving theory to empirically validate the relationship between GenZers’ trait mindfulness and SCB for food and clothing.