MYTH 11 : Transition to sustainable consumption is primarily driven by consumer demand
(2026) p.197-213- Abstract
This chapter interrogates the widespread belief that individual purchasing choices are the main force behind sustainability transitions. This myth rests on three assumptions: that consumers drive markets while businesses and governments merely react, that individuals are defined primarily as buyers and that deliberate consumer decisions can alone create sustainable demand. The chapter shows how this framing shifts responsibility away from structural actors and oversimplifies the interaction between individual agency and societal systems. Historical roots lie in economic theories of consumer sovereignty and later environmental campaigns urging people to ‘vote with their wallets’. Today, it remains central in corporate and policy... (More)
This chapter interrogates the widespread belief that individual purchasing choices are the main force behind sustainability transitions. This myth rests on three assumptions: that consumers drive markets while businesses and governments merely react, that individuals are defined primarily as buyers and that deliberate consumer decisions can alone create sustainable demand. The chapter shows how this framing shifts responsibility away from structural actors and oversimplifies the interaction between individual agency and societal systems. Historical roots lie in economic theories of consumer sovereignty and later environmental campaigns urging people to ‘vote with their wallets’. Today, it remains central in corporate and policy discourses, often reinforcing the idea that sustainability depends on informed consumers rather than systemic reform. The consequences of this framing are significant. It burdens individuals with responsibilities they cannot shoulder alone, delays stronger regulation and sustains unsustainable markets. It also obscures the powerful role of infrastructures, marketing and sociotechnical systems in shaping what is possible to consume. The chapter dispels the myth by showing how demand is actively shaped by businesses, infrastructures and cultural norms and by highlighting survey evidence that citizens support more ambitious political action than governments or companies currently deliver. Policymakers need to establish enabling structures and regulatory frameworks that safeguard societal well-being and long-term welfare. Businesses must ensure that provisioning systems remain resilient and viable under conditions of constrained resources and ecological limits. Individuals, meanwhile, should engage with sustainable consumption not only through their market choices but also as citizens, activists and community members.
(Less)
- author
- Mont, Oksana LU and Svenfelt, Åsa
- organization
- publishing date
- 2026-01-01
- type
- Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
- publication status
- published
- subject
- host publication
- Myths about Sustainable Consumption : Dispelled - Dispelled
- pages
- 17 pages
- publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:105031209585
- ISBN
- 9781040869581
- 9781041012184
- DOI
- 10.4324/9781003613718-16
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- additional info
- Publisher Copyright: © 2026 selection and editorial matter, Oksana Mont; individual chapters, the contributors.
- id
- 8e289df7-369d-43dc-972b-8a9809064aaf
- date added to LUP
- 2026-04-15 15:36:05
- date last changed
- 2026-06-24 22:30:08
@inbook{8e289df7-369d-43dc-972b-8a9809064aaf,
abstract = {{<p>This chapter interrogates the widespread belief that individual purchasing choices are the main force behind sustainability transitions. This myth rests on three assumptions: that consumers drive markets while businesses and governments merely react, that individuals are defined primarily as buyers and that deliberate consumer decisions can alone create sustainable demand. The chapter shows how this framing shifts responsibility away from structural actors and oversimplifies the interaction between individual agency and societal systems. Historical roots lie in economic theories of consumer sovereignty and later environmental campaigns urging people to ‘vote with their wallets’. Today, it remains central in corporate and policy discourses, often reinforcing the idea that sustainability depends on informed consumers rather than systemic reform. The consequences of this framing are significant. It burdens individuals with responsibilities they cannot shoulder alone, delays stronger regulation and sustains unsustainable markets. It also obscures the powerful role of infrastructures, marketing and sociotechnical systems in shaping what is possible to consume. The chapter dispels the myth by showing how demand is actively shaped by businesses, infrastructures and cultural norms and by highlighting survey evidence that citizens support more ambitious political action than governments or companies currently deliver. Policymakers need to establish enabling structures and regulatory frameworks that safeguard societal well-being and long-term welfare. Businesses must ensure that provisioning systems remain resilient and viable under conditions of constrained resources and ecological limits. Individuals, meanwhile, should engage with sustainable consumption not only through their market choices but also as citizens, activists and community members.</p>}},
author = {{Mont, Oksana and Svenfelt, Åsa}},
booktitle = {{Myths about Sustainable Consumption : Dispelled}},
isbn = {{9781040869581}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{01}},
pages = {{197--213}},
publisher = {{Taylor & Francis}},
title = {{MYTH 11 : Transition to sustainable consumption is primarily driven by consumer demand}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781003613718-16}},
doi = {{10.4324/9781003613718-16}},
year = {{2026}},
}