Consumption and reality testing: How do individuals justify the limits to their consumption efforts in the face of climate change?

This article aims to understand how the individuals justify the limits to their consumption efforts regarding environmental issues. We adopt an interpretivist approach, drawing on the theoretical framework of pragmatic sociology proposed by Boltanski and Thévenot. We contribute to the literature on the green gap by identifying the justifications put forward by individuals who seek to contribute to the common good. In particular, we show how they question the measurement of carbon footprints, i.e. the reality test that is supposed to assess the virtuous nature of practices. We also contribute to the literature on convention theory in marketing by exploring the justification of consumers with regard to a reality test. Finally, we propose a number of managerial recommendations. They aim to help create tools and attractive holistic narratives to push back the limits to consumption efforts.