The role of internal motivations in consumer upcycling intention and purchase intention of upcycled products

Purpose This research aims to investigate the relationship between internal motivations and consumer upcycling intention, and how these motivations relate to purchase intention of upcycled products. Design/methodology/approach This research is based on an online survey with a sample of 470 US consumers. Structural equation modeling with Mplus was applied to test the proposed relationships. Findings Perceived competence is the strongest internal motivation related to consumer upcycling intention, followed by waste prevention and frugality. Consumers who have motivations of waste prevention, social connectedness and emotional attachment for consumer upcycling have higher intention to purchase upcycled products. Research limitations/implications The generalizability of the findings might be limited due to the US-based survey sample. Future research could validate and extend these findings in different cultural contexts. Practical implications The findings enable policymakers and business practitioners in the circular economy to develop effective strategies to promote consumer upcycling as well as the purchase of upcycled products. Originality/value First, this research addresses the dearth of literature studying upcycling and the broader circular economy from the demand side (i.e. the consumer). Second, by identifying perceived competence as the strongest internal motivation for consumer upcycling, this research offers a new perspective on how to promote consumer upcycling. Third, by demonstrating that certain internal motivations for consumer upcycling can explain purchase intention of upcycled products, this research validates for the first time the connection between consumer upcycling and upcycling businesses empirically.