Social responsibility and sustainable consumption: The case of higher education students from Talca (Chile)

Abstract

The purpose of this research study is to explore socially responsible sustainable consumption practices in higher education students from the city of Talca (Chile). A survey was applied to a non-probability sample (387 subjects) for convenience. An exploratory factor analysis and an analysis of significant differences according to sociodemographic characteristics were performed. The results showed that four dimensions could explain socially responsible sustainable consumption: 1) informed consumption, 2) glocal consumption, 3) ethical consumption, and 4) circular economy. There were also significant differences according to gender. Women showed a significantly higher valuation for glocal and ethical consumption. It is concluded that research on socially responsible sustainable consumption from a university student perspective is in a construction phase, which is the basis to research this topic from diverse disciplines. It is important to replicate the inquiry presented here to design a more statistically robust tool.