Significance of environmental sustainability issues in consumers' choice of major household appliances in South Africa

• Published in: International journal of consumer studies 2011-03, Vol.35 (2), p.153-163
• Main Authors: Sonnenberg, Nadine C, Erasmus, Alet C, Donoghue, Suné
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Appliances; Benefits; Consumer behavior; Consumer behaviour; Consumers; Consumption; Cost; Developing countries; Electric power; Emerging economies; Energy efficiency; Family; Household equipment; Households; Industry; Information; Information sources; Investigation; LDCs; major household appliances; Prices; pro-environmental buying and consumption behaviour; product choice criteria; Property; Purchasing; Questionnaires; rational decision making; Recycling; Social influence; South Africa; Studies; Surveys; Sustainability; Water
• ISSN: 1470-6423; 1470-6431
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1470-6431.2010.00964.x

Although not regarded as the major culprits in terms of the degradation of the world's resources, consumers in developing countries such as South Africa should be encouraged to realize their potential contribution to save our planet. This research investigated consumers' prioritization of product choice criteria in a prominent product category, i.e. major household appliances, to determine and describe how consumers could be encouraged to accept the principles of pro-environmental product choice and consumption behaviour. The survey that was conducted in Tshwane, a major urban area in South Africa, in 2010 involved a structured questionnaire that was distributed by means of a convenient snowball method. Findings (n = 446) indicated that the majority of respondents always/mostly considered desirable functions rather than aesthetic attributes or price as important choice criteria, and that consumers would like to obtain information about the ‘greenness' as well as the ‘functionality' of appliances before purchasing. Consumers strongly agreed that the durability of appliances (service life) as well as running costs, i.e. electricity and water consumption, should be considered. Consumers seemed undecided about issues concerning recycling and recycling centres, the benefits of modern appliances and whether locally manufactured appliances are better than imported brands. Although different sources of information could be influential during consumers' pre-purchase evaluation of major household appliances, consumers' reliance on personal acquaintances (friends and family) surpassed their trust in salespeople as information source by far. The majority of respondents indicated that they used printed information sources such as promotional material and brochures as information sources. Retail and industry should supply comprehensive information about pro-environmental properties of their products. The results of this special investigation may be transferred to similar target groups in developing countries but are not typical for consumer behaviour elsewhere, whereas the methods are generally applicable.