Exploring the predictors of sustainable fast fashion purchase intention : an investigation using the theory of planned behaviour among South African consumers

Abstract

"The fashion industry is widely recognised for its detrimental environmental effect, primarily from high carbon emissions, textile waste, and pollution. The rise of fast fashion, which involves the mass production of trendy and affordable clothing, has significantly fueled the industry's growth but has also had severe environmental repercussions. Despite these negative consequences, many consumers continue to buy fashion products without considering the environmental impact of their choices. This study explores the factors influencing consumers' intentions to purchase sustainable fast fashion. The Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) was utilised to guide the research, which outlines the predictors of consumer behaviour, including attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control (PBC). The study utilised an existing structured quantitative questionnaire and collected 123 completed responses using non-probability convenience sampling techniques. The collected data were analysed through multiple linear regression to test the hypotheses and address the research questions related to attitudes, subjective norms, and PBC. The analysis results showed a significant positive correlation between attitudes and intention, indicating that attitudes play a significant role in shaping consumers' sustainability purchasing intentions. However, subjective norms were found to have an insignificant positive correlation with intention, indicating that they do not significantly shape consumers' sustainability purchasing intentions. In contrast, PBC was found to have a significant positive correlation with intention, indicating that it plays a significant role in shaping consumers' sustainability purchasing intentions. The study findings have important implications for marketers and policymakers in the sustainable fashion industry interested in promoting sustainable consumption. The study suggests that attitudes and PBC influence consumers' sustainability purchasing intentions. Therefore, marketers and policymakers should focus on designing interventions that target these factors to promote sustainable consumption among South African consumers"