Anti-consumption behaviour and purchase intention: a systematic literature review

The modern era is characterised by a predominance of consumer culture, where intense trends manifest in practically constant purchasing, which is largely supported by the rapid development of marketing technologies, technological progress and the globalisation of the economy (Bauman, 2007; Ritzer, 2019). This culture contributes to economic growth, technological development and forms a strong cultural code in which the possession of material values is often equated with personal happiness and the success of society (Vesterinen and Suikkanen, 2022). However, these manifestations of culture are now accompanied by a widespread and diverse counter-movement today – anti-consumption behaviour.

Consumer resistance refers to consumers rejecting or rebelling against the values promoted by the market (Penaloza and Price, 1993; Roux, 2007). Anti-consumption is an action that people or groups take when they refuse to buy or utilise products due to personal ethics or beliefs or when such products are against humanitarian beliefs (Zavestoski, 2002; Cherrier, 2009). People choose not to buy products they regard as evil. As a result, their motivation derives from a desire not to have certain items (Hollenbeck and Zinkhan, 2019; Iyer and Muncy, 2009).

The importance of recognising this transformation is paramount, considering the pressing global issues such as climate change, limited availability of certain resources and growing social disparities (Jackson, 2005; Black and Cherrier, 2010). In the face of such problems, people inevitably question their place in the world and the contribution they make to those issues through their consumption (Griskevicius et al., 2010; Mc Donald et al., 2012). As more people become aware of pressing global issues, they are also likely to shun the products of the companies that are often viewed as contributors to those problems (Klein et al., 2004; Hoffmann and Hutter, 2012). This increasing awareness can prove to be essential for companies that seek to restructure their business practices to comply with the principles of sustainability and social responsibility (Peattie and Belz, 2010; Ottman, 2018).

The emergence of anti-consumption also implies new developments in the market that pose unique challenges to companies. Companies face an era of increasingly informed and sceptical consumers who require transparency, authenticity and ethical conduct from them (Mohr et al., 2020; Sen and Bhattacharya, 2001). Due to the inevitable changes in consumers’ perceptions of companies, the latter should modify their strategic processes and implement additional measures to remain relevant in the eyes of customers for years to come (Peattie and Crane, 2005; Chatzidakis and Lee, 2012).

There is a need to synthesise existing knowledge and identify research gaps in the area of anti-consumption behaviour through a comprehensive literature review, though the body of literature in this area is expanding (Hogg et al., 2009; Seegebarth et al., 2016). Hence, this study provides an overall review by conducting a deep literature review on anti-consumption behaviour and its impact on purchase intention. The TCCM framework and the ADO framework are employed simultaneously to provide an organised understanding of existing literature across the antecedents examined, decisions of consumers, the outcomes of anti-consumption behaviour and the theoretical, contextual, characteristic and methodological dimensions (Paul et al., 2021; Roy Bhattacharjee et al., 2022; Rauber et al., 2024; Hamilton et al., 2014).

1. Understand how different antecedents will influence the anti-consumption behaviour, i.e. environmental concern, ethical concerns, economic determinants, social influence and psychological motivation.

2. Understand the linkage between the anti-consumption behaviour and the purchase intention aspects and its effect on the consumer decision-making, brand loyalty and the marketing concept in general.

3. Analyse the empirical outcomes from existing studies and by this synthesis, the trends, insights and the key learnings relating to the anti-consumption behaviour and the purchase intention.

4. Understand the areas of research that need to be investigated in the future (anti-consumption behaviour and purchase intention).

5. Achieve an understanding of what existing theories and constructs and methodologies that have been deployed in the existing research based on anti-consumption behaviour and the purchase intention undertaking.

The systematic literature review (SLR) is a scientific methodology used to select, screen and synthesise studies on a given research topic that are relevant to the research question presented. This procedure guarantees that all pertinent and unbiased sources are carefully and thoroughly examined, which serves as the foundation for answering the question (Moher et al., 2019; Page et al., 2021). In this review, we used the PRISMA protocol to maintain high quality and transparency of the activities undertaken.

The TCCM (Theory-Context-Characteristics-Methodology) framework has been used for the review in this study in order to organise, synthesise and analyse the existing literature systematically. Consumer behaviour research has been using this framework consistently because it enables a comprehensive synthesis across four significant dimensions: Theory (theoretical foundations), Context (settings and populations studied), Characteristics (key constructs and variables) and Methodology (research designs and analytical approaches) (Paul et al., 2021; Roy Bhattacharjee et al., 2022). For the purpose of this study, this framework has been adopted because it is required to clearly identify gaps in theories, context, constructs and methodologies in the anti-consumption behaviour research.

The ADO (Antecedents-Decisions-Outcomes) framework is also applied to structure the findings of the literature review. This framework is extremely helpful in capturing the whole consumer decision process as it organises the research findings under three components namely, antecedents (driving factors), decisions (purchase intentions) and Outcomes (purchase behaviour) (Rauber et al., 2024; Hamilton et al., 2014). This framework has been adopted in this study to organise the findings of the literature review so that the availability of studies related to the causal chain from antecedents to outcomes can be clearly depicted and gaps in the literature can be found.

The body of literature on anti-consumption behaviour and its impact on purchase intention was reviewed systematically by following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses protocol (PRISMA). Figure 1 clearly specifies the flow of information over the various phases of this systematic review.

Identification Phase: The identification step was initiated by conducting an extensive search through Scopus and Web of Science. The search generated 450 studies from Scopus and 350 studies from Web of Science.

Screening Phase: During the screening phase, the removal of duplicates reduced the number of total records to 650. Using abstracts and titles, all the records that did not cover the topic of anti-consumption were excluded. This stage further eliminated 500 irrelevant records, leaving 150 papers to be considered in detail.

Eligibility Phase: In the eligibility stage, all references for the 150 records remaining were checked against the inclusion criteria. Following this, the full text of articles was retrieved and 108 were found not to be suitable for inclusion in this stage: 45 studies did not fit inclusion criteria, an additional 38 did not have relevant data and 25 studies fell into other non-eligible categories. Therefore, 42 studies were included and eligible for completion of a qualitative summary.

Inclusion Phase: In the final phase of the review process, 42 studies were identified for the qualitative synthesis. The compilation of a large body of literature on the extent, reasons and impact of consumers' anti-consumption behaviours helped harness a larger volume of evidence on the multiple dimensions of anti-consumption and its impact on consumer purchase decisions. The use of the PRISMA protocol helped create a rigorous, systematic and transparent process that would later on allow for the synthesis of findings and the formulation of conclusions.

The search strategy conducted in this SLR was deliberately designed to ensure comprehensive coverage, to capture the evolution of anti-consumption theories from foundational frameworks to contemporary empirical applications and to link anti-consumption behaviours with consumer purchase intentions. The search process was primarily conducted in the Scopus and Web of Science databases because they have a reputation for having a broad, multidisciplinary scope, thus providing optimal sources for capturing studies that are relevant to the research topic (Booth, 2016). The search timeframe spanned from January 1983 to January 2024. This 41-year window allows for the inclusion of early seminal works on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (1991) and Consumer Culture Theory (2005) alongside modern digital and ethical consumption trends.

Several restrictions were applied to ensure that only relevant and high-quality studies were reviewed. First, only peer-reviewed articles in English language were reviewed to enhance the level of academic rigor. Only full-text articles were included, while abstracts and conference proceedings were excluded to ensure that sufficient data and analysis were available for review. Moreover, duplicates identified during the screening process were removed to maintain no redundancy and ensure that each study included in the review added unique information.

Search String: (“anti-consumption” OR “anti consumption” OR “consumer resistance” OR “voluntary simplicity” OR “consumer boycott” OR “anti-consumerism” OR “downshifting”) AND (“purchase intention” OR “buying intention” OR “purchase behavior” OR “consumer behavior” OR “buying behavior” OR “consumption intention”)

The inclusion and exclusion criteria for this SLR were defined to enable the selection of the most relevant and high-quality studies. First, the review included only empirical research since it combined quantitative and qualitative data and reviewed works utilising different methods. This presented an opportunity to analyse research covering various methods (Östlund, 2019). Second, the study topic had to be related to the questions of the anti-consumption phenomenon and its influence on purchase intentions. Consequently, articles were excluded when there was only a mention of consumer behaviour related to other aspects.

Only journal articles only in the English language were included. Exclusion criteria were also used to separate irrelevant or low-quality information. Hence, non-empirical research items, including theoretical works, discussion materials and review materials were excluded. Works that did not focus on the influence of anti-consumption behaviour and purchase intentions were also disregarded. Furthermore, articles that did not have a full text or were not in English were also excluded.

Systematically and rigorously synthesising the findings emerging from the selected studies involves data extraction and analysis. The analysis was eventually used to synthesise the findings into a narrative that would offer an account of how anti-consumption behaviour affects consumer purchase intention. By employing a comprehensive extraction and data analysis approach, this study provides a strong foundation for understanding the effects of anti-consumption behaviour on purchase intention.

The identified research reveals that prior to 2010, established theoretical foundations existed around the concept of consumer resistance and anti-consumption. The last decade, i.e. 2014–2024 has seen a rise in empirical studies conducted on the concept of anti-consumption behaviour and related concepts. This shows that anti-consumption is no longer just a niche topic of discussion anymore, but a significant marketing concern. Most research studies on anti-consumption behaviour have been conducted in the context of Western developed economies. However, anti-consumption is becoming a global phenomenon because geographically, the research studies have extended over time. The food and fashion industries have dominated the research on anti-consumption behaviour.

The ADO framework has been extensively utilised in consumer behaviour research to provide a comprehensive understanding of the decision-making process. According to Brown (2018) this model is particularly effective in capturing the complex interplay between various antecedents and their impact on consumer decisions and outcomes. The ADO framework, an abbreviation for the Antecedents, Decisions and Outcomes model, was created to explain the sequential flow of the consumer decision-making process. When it comes to examining anti-consumption behaviour, this model allows researchers to break down the consumers' reasoning paths, starting from the factors contributing to their willingness to reject a product or a brand to the consequences resulting from this cross-out (Tsiros, 2018), as shown in Figure 2. In the context of this paper, the ADO framework is highly informative since it enables the breakdown of the factors contributing to cross-out decisions and the pattern in which these factors influence overall behaviour.

1. Antecedents: Factors that push consumers towards anti-consumption behaviour are referred to as antecedents. Antecedents are numerous and varied and they may include ethical, environmental, economic, social and psychological concerns.

   • Ethical concerns: One of the major driving forces of anti-consumption is consumers' knowledge of and worries regarding the unethical behaviours of firms. Several examples of such behaviour include labour exploitation, environmental destruction and corporate lying (Shaw and Newholm, 2002; Cherrier, 2009; Black and Cherrier, 2010). Consumers do not want to promote firms that do not comply with their moral value system. Ethical considerations have long been a significant motivator for anti-consumption behaviour, as consumers increasingly prioritise moral and ethical standards in their purchasing decisions. According to Shaw (2013), consumers often engage in ethical consumption as a way to align their purchasing behaviour with their personal values and social beliefs. Moreover, Carrington (2014) argues that the rise of ethical consumerism is driven by increased awareness and availability of information regarding corporate practices and that consumers prefer to purchase from companies that demonstrate ethical practices. Consumers boycott products that are associated with unfair pay and child labour (Friedman, 2019). Consequently, consumer boycotts represent an instrument for “punishing” corporations and ensuring their Ethical branding plays an important role in the consumer decision-making process (Mohr, 2020).

   • Environmental concerns: Consumers who are aware of environmental factors such as climate change and pollution, tend to avoid particular products (Wilson, 2022). Such consumers support brands that are environmentally responsible and sustainable (Jackson, 2005; Peattie and Belz, 2010). Contemporary consumers are more concerned about the ecological impacts of their purchasing decisions. According to Peattie (2018), an increase in environmental awareness among the consumers is making them more inclined towards sustainable consumption patterns. Also, green marketing strategies create a positive brand image of the brand, encouraging consumers to make eco-conscious choices (Ottman, 2018). Environmental reputation acts as a type of status symbol that drives the consumption of eco-friendly products and decreases demand for products that have a negative impact on the environment (Griskevicius et al., 2020).

   • Consumer Resistance: Individuals these days are pushing back against mainstream consumerism and hence resisting themselves from engaging in consumption practices. Consumer resistance often takes place when consumers support local businesses, participate in “Do It Yourself” (DIY) movements or participate in the sharing economy (Thompson and Arsel, 2004). This type of resistance reflects sustainability and self-sufficiency. As noted by Shaw and Newholm (2017), consumer resistance exists in various forms, such as organised boycotts, acts of defiance and refusing to purchase from certain brands. Consumer resistance develops because of dissatisfaction with market practices identified as overreaching or over-commercialisation. Chatzidakis et al. (2012) claims that consumer resistance is caused by the globalisation of corporate strategies that ignore the values and needs of hundreds of local communities.

   • Political Concerns: Political beliefs significantly shape consumer behaviour, particularly through the lens of anti-consumption. Consumers are increasingly using their purchasing power as a form of political expression, choosing to support or boycott brands based on their political stances and actions. Political boycotts are extremely effective; resulting in changes to corporate behaviour. In the work of Klein et al. (2004), consumers are investigated based on their will to purchase items portraying their political views. It regularly brings out to the rejection of those brands, which, according to the values of some consumers, contradict their adherence. In other words, based on political information, as well, which it is forgiving nature, consumers refuse seemingly neutral products, but privately react socially.

   • Consumer Well-being: Another well-being related concern that prompts anti-consumption is linked to health and safety. According to Lee et al. (2012) use health-misinformation concern as the key driver that prompts consumers to stay away from products that they perceive as unsafe and unhealthy. Raghunathan et al. (2006), in turn, discuss anti-consumption in regard to fast-food consumption, which is largely driven by health implications associated with this type of food. Strizhakova and Coulter (2013) note that well-being-oriented consumers avoid products with well-known health risks such as Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) or artificial additives. Overall, this body of research shows that anti-consumption is often prompted by a concern for one's own well-being.

   • Social Motivations: Social factors, including peer pressure, cultural norms and community values, account for a large portion of consumption drivers (Makarem and Jae, 2016). As a result, consumers can avoid particular brands or products to follow social expectations or to show their identity within a community (Sudbury-Riley and Kohlbacher, 2018). Among the types of motivations that compel anti-consumption activity there can be the social ones. According to Escalas and Bettman (2005) work, influence and conformities the desire to fulfil the social norm makes consumers to stay away from brands. White and Dahl (2020) have proved that consumers are motivated to un-consume in order to differentiate from a group of consumers they do not appreciate. Escalas and Bettman (2005) have argued that anti-consumption emerged from social identity theory. Berger and Heath (2007) have shown that anti-consumption bridges identification and self-categorisation theories.

2. Decisions: The subsequent stage of the process is the decision stage. It is at this stage that customers, having assessed the antecedents, make the conscious decision to consume or not consume certain products or brands.

   • Evaluation: Consumers evaluate the ethical, environmental, economic, social and psychological consequences of their purchase. They are based on the assessments of the importance of consuming a particular product or the drawbacks of refusing to consume it. Consumers are guided by their own values and beliefs to determine how these specific purchases fit their conscience.

   • Conscious choice: As a result of the evaluation, consumers make a conscious choice in relation to one or another product or brand. The rejection of consumption is purposeful and not spontaneous, as it is made with the aim of expressing one's principles, upholding one's obligations to nature, or one's social identity (Zhang, 2016). By choosing anti-consumption, consumers manifest their need to express themselves in their principles and intentions and influence the market.

3. Outcomes: The outcomes can be understood as the results of the decision to undertake some form of anti-consumption. Such consequences bear immense meaning for consumer patterns, market relations and corporate-based strategies.

   • Impact on Purchase Intention: The anti-consumption is bound to influence the attitude of consumers regarding the covered products. Thus, the choice not to use a specific brand will compromise their intention to do it later. Thus, the purchasing intention is reduced, as well as the market share of companies directly involved (Lee, 2019).

   • Brand loyalty changes: The mentioned anti-consumption tendencies can influence the decrease in brand loyalty of the customers who view certain brands as unethically or improperly disposed of to the environment (Iyer, 2009). Customers may become more loyal to other brands that share their worldview which will boost more favourable conditions for ethical and sustainable behaviour on the markets.

   • General consumer behaviour: Anti-consumption attitudes can provoke more global changes in the population's consuming behaviour. Many people will desire the availability of ethically sourced and stored products. Hence, to meet these requirements and remain competitive, manufacturing companies will need to adapt more ethical and sustainable operations (Harrison et al., 2005).

To conclude, the ADO framework provided in this paper allows to structurally frame the processes of how a set of antecedents results in anti-consumption motive, how that translates into its practice and ultimately affects the consumer behaviour and market. As this work covers all the stages, the researcher may gain an in-depth understanding of documents that lead to the drivers and outcomes of anti-consumption behaviour, which is beneficial to understanding this relatively new trend in consumer behaviour.

The TCCM framework has been instrumental in advancing consumer behaviour research by providing a comprehensive approach to literature review and synthesis. According to Baker (2015) the framework's emphasis on theory, constructs, contexts and methodology facilitates a thorough examination of existing studies, ensuring that all relevant dimensions are considered. Additionally. Johnson (2016) highlights the importance of the TCCM framework in bridging diverse research streams, allowing for a more integrated understanding of complex phenomena such as anti-consumption behaviour. TCCM framework enhances the rigor and clarity of academic reviews, making it easier for researchers to draw meaningful conclusions and set the direction for future research.

The TCCM framework, which refers to Theory, Constructs, Contexts and Methodology, is used to provide a systematic means to review and synthesise literature and hence it helped to critically evaluate all dimensions of anti-consumption behaviour and purchase intention discuss. In a structured manner, this framework enables researchers to find specific patterns regarding how theories are explained, which specific measures were used and what the environmental factors engaged are, and which research methodologies and applied where (Roy Bhattacharjee et al., 2022). Table 1 makes it easier for the readers and the researchers to understand the current state of anti-consumption research and identify the gaps in literature for future course of this area.

1. Theory: Being within the scope of the theoretical component, one task associated with this component is named as identifying theories based on theoretical studies on anti-consumption behaviour and buy intention. This paper covers twenty-six other secondary studies that rely on a variety of key acceptable literature theories. The theoretical landscape of anti-consumption is dominated by a few established frameworks that explain the psychological and social drivers of consumer resistance. The Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) (Ajzen, 1991) is the most frequently used framework, which is used to understand how attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control affect intentions to avoid certain brands or products (Choi and Johnson, 2019; Lee and Yun, 2015). Additionally, the Value-Belief-Norm (VBN) Theory (Stern, 2000) is majorly applied to environmental and ethical contexts and also linking personal values and moral norms to sustainable lifestyles (Albinsson and Perera, 2012; Black and Cherrier, 2010). Consumer Culture Theory (CCT) (Arnould and Thompson, 2005) and Identity Theory (Stryker and Burke, 2000), offer deeper insights into how anti-consumption serves as a tool for identification concerns, allowing consumers to distinguish themselves from mainstream culture or dissociative groups. Finally, emerging use of Social Practice Theory (Reckwitz, 2002) and Institutional Theory (DiMaggio and Powell, 1983) suggests a shift where anti-consumption is seen as a result of social patterns and organisational pressures rather than purely individual choices.

2. Constructs: The constructs component specifies the central variables and concepts in the research (Paul, 2023). The primary constructs revolve around the motivations behind “reasons against” the consumption. Key behavioural drivers include Ethical concerns, moral norms (Shaw and Newholm, 2002; Cherrier, 2009; Black and Cherrier, 2010). Chatzidakis and Lee (2013), Environmental concerns (Webb et al., 2008), Research also emphasises identity-related constructs, such as consumer-brand identification and social identification (Makarem and Jae, 2016), highlighting anti-consumption as a symbolic act. Furthermore, constructs related to consumer well-being, such as health concerns and product safety, have emerged as significant predictors of brand avoidance and brand rejection (Lee et al., 2012; Raghunathan et al., 2006). Finally, Purchase Intention has been used as the final outcome to buy or reject the products as a result of ethical, environmental and social factors (Lee and Yun, 2015; Albinsson and Perera, 2012).

3. Context: The contexts component reviews the settings and circumstances within which the research is conducted. Geographically, there is a strong focus on North America (Iyer and Muncy, 2009; Zavestoski, 2002; Albinsson and Perera, 2012), Europe (Black and Cherrier, 2010; Seegebarth et al., 2016; Vesterinen and Suikkanen, 2022) with significant research emerging from Asia as well (Choi and Johnson, 2019; Lee and Yun, 2015). Sectoral analysis highlights high-involvement industries such as Food and Beverage (Black and Cherrier, 2010), Fashion and Apparel (Vesterinen and Suikkanen, 2022), specifically concerning luxury anti-consumption. These contexts often involve specific market segments such as eco-conscious, health-conscious and ethical consumers.

4. Methodology: The reviewed 42 studies have used a variety of methodological techniques to bridge the gap between empirical data and conceptual understanding. Quantitative methods are majorly used by utilising surveys and analysed through Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) and Regression analysis Choi and Johnson, 2019; Lee and Yun, 2015). Experimental designs are often used to isolate the effects of social identity and group differentiation. Qualitative techniques including ethnography, interviews and thematic analysis provide deep insights into anti-consumption behaviour (Cherrier, 2009; Zavestoski, 2002). Finally, mixed-methods and theoretical frameworks provide a comprehensive view of the anti-consumption phenomenon (Black and Cherrier, 2010)

Through the explanation of the TCCM framework, this paper analyses and integrates the extant literature concerning anti-consumption behaviour and purchase intention.

Individuals who deliberately resist the dominating power of marketing and advertising and consumer culture are called “anti-consumerists”. These people are not just absent from consumption, indeed they are active in the contemporary marketplace. Various social movements such as The Occupy Wall Street Movement in New York in 2011 and The Arab Spring of 2010, have led to the increased relevance of the emerging anti-consumption behaviour. These types of movements reflect that there is a growing group of individuals who are challenging the dominating power of economic and management systems (Portwood-Stacer, 2012). This suggests that anti-consumption behaviour is also a means of identity construction and political expression. Anti-consumption behaviour means “refusal towards or dissatisfaction or disfavor of or non-acceptance” of products or services or brands or consumer culture (Zavestoski, 2002; Chatzidakis and Lee, 2012).

Similarly, Murray (2013) argues that anti-consumption can be seen as a form of consumer activism, where individuals use their purchasing power to make a statement against corporate practices, they find objectionable. This perspective frames anti-consumption as a deliberate and strategic action aimed at fostering social and environmental change.

Anti-consumption behaviour is one where consumers intentionally fail to use and avoid certain products or brands. Consumers may be driven by ethical fears, concerns over the planet's future, political views, or specific fashion and leisure views. Unlike minimalism, where a consumer's every day and taste choose a simpler and less complex existence more conscientiously and with meaning through limited intake, anti-consumption considers specific goods and labels to be particularly “fraudulent”. Ethical consumption is where a consumer makes a purchase choice based on personal standards and ethical motivations, for example, due to the fact that the document is reasonable or biologically compatible (Maseeh et al., 2022). Anti-consumption, meanwhile, is the most educated choice not to purchase specific goods due to certain sensations.

Purchase intention is a multifaceted construct influenced by various psychological and contextual factors. According to Oliver (2014) brand loyalty significantly impacts purchase intentions, as loyal customers are more likely to repurchase and recommend products to others. Additionally, Sweeney (2011) highlight the importance of perceived value in shaping purchase intentions, suggesting that consumers are more inclined to buy products they perceive as offering greater value in terms of quality, price and benefits. Understanding these factors helps marketers tailor their strategies to enhance consumer satisfaction and loyalty, thereby increasing purchase intentions. Concept of purchase intention is often studied in consumer behaviour research and it reflects an individual's readiness or willingness to buy a certain product or use a certain service. This concept is a strong predictor of the actual purchasing behaviour and is heavily dependent on individual's attitudes, subjective norm compliance, perceived behavioural control and previous purchases practices (Hung, 2011). When studying consumer purchase intention, scientists measure this construct by collecting data from customers who then report their likelihood of purchasing a product or service in a certain period of time and responses are usually graded on a Likert scale. Such measurement allows predicting market behaviour and reactions of consumers to the implemented marketing strategies. It is important for further development of businesses and for expanding knowledge on the factors that affect individual's decisions.

The body of literature shows that ethical concerns, environmental sustainability and social identity are the essential driving forces behind anti-consumption. The majority of consumers strive to avoid associating themselves with products produced through unethical practices or harming the environment, signalling a broader move towards conscientious consumption. However, there is an uncertainty regarding the strength or directness of the effects, as some studies have identified a stronger correlation than others. Furthermore, some aspects of anti-consumption, including their impact on brand loyalty in the long run or trends on the market, are under-researched.

The above review of the literature has pointed to several major trends and findings. First and foremost, the focus on sustainability is identified as a prominent trend. Growing numbers of consumers opt for eco-friendly products and brands with a solid commitment to environmental protection. This aspect also affects the market as its structure changes through the eagerness of businesses to satisfy consumer needs of sustainability. Second, insights about the social identity dimension in anti-consumption are presented. Consumers tend to express their identity through purchasing choices and avoidance behaviours. Lastly, the review reveals the full nature and peak of anti-consumption: its connections with purchase intention and brand avoidance regardless of quality factors.

For marketing practitioners, this research provides several valuable insights. It helps marketers to understand an important and growing consumer segment that has been relatively neglected in marketing strategy and communications. Consumers involved in anti-consumption practices are not just non-consumers but they form a different group of consumers with distinct priorities, values and decisions. These consumers differ from mainstream consumers. Hence, understanding these groups is very crucial to meet their expectations and values. Marketers can also use the revealed antecedents of anti-consumption behaviour to improve their marketing strategies accordingly in order to revert anti-consumption behaviour.

This research also has implications for product development and innovation strategy. Understanding what consumers value and what concerns motivate their anti-consumption Behaviour can guide development of products that better align with consumer values. For example, if durability and repairability emerge as important concerns, companies may benefit from designing products with longer lifespans and modular and repairable components.

For policymakers concerned with promoting sustainable consumption and environmental protection, this research provides several important insights. It identifies which factors most strongly motivate anti-consumption behaviour, providing guidance on which messages and appeals are likely to be most effective in public awareness campaigns and educational initiatives. If, for example, concerns about well-being prove to be strong motivators, public health campaigns could emphasise the personal benefits of reduced consumption rather than focusing exclusively on environmental benefits.

This study provides deep insights into what is done and what needs to be done in the literature of anti-consumption behaviour by clearly depicting the theories which have been applied majorly to understand the anti-consumption behaviour. Theory of Planned Behaviour (Ajzen, 1991) is the most frequently used framework to grasp an understanding of anti-consumption behaviour. An extension of Theory of Consumption Values (Sheth et al., 1991) could provide deeper insight into factors motivating anti-consumption behaviour. Ethical concerns, moral norms and environmental concerns have been most studied constructs and purchase intention has been studied as the result outcome to buy or reject the goods. This review shall help academicians to figure out the contexts in which research has been carried out so far and which areas remain untouched. There might be other antecedents of anti-consumption behaviour than those identified in the existing literature such as consumer ethnocentrism and cultural differences.

Theoretical developments: The psychological and social mechanisms through which anti-consumption attitudes translate into purchase intentions are underexplored. Future research should study mediating factors (e.g. cognitive dissonance, moral emotions, social identity) and moderating factors (e.g. product involvement, social norms, perceived consumer effectiveness) that influence the attitude-intention-behaviour chain (Shaw and Newholm, 2002).

Contextual Expansion: Existing anti-consumption Research has concentrated majorly in Western developed markets. Future studies should examine anti-consumption in emerging markets, developing economies and non-Western cultural contexts where consumption meanings, values and practices may differ (Strizhakova and Coulter, 2013). Cross-cultural comparative studies are required to understand how cultural values shape anti-consumption behaviours.

Methodological Advancement: The dominance of cross-sectional surveys limits causal reasoning. Future research should utilise longitudinal designs to track attitude–behaviour relationships over the time, experimental designs to test causal determinants and mixed-methods approaches to divide quantitative patterns with qualitative insights (Tranfield et al., 2003; Liberati et al., 2009).

Measurement Inconsistency: Future research should develop and validate comprehensive, multidimensional scales that can represent the diverse characteristics of anti-consumption (motivations, attitudes and behaviours) and their relationships with purchase intentions (Iyer and Muncy, 2009; Lee et al., 2009).

This SLR has synthesised 42 peer-reviewed articles inspecting anti-consumption behaviour and its relationship with purchase intention. By applying the TCCM framework (Paul et al., 2021; Roy Bhattacharjee et al., 2022) and the ADO framework (Rauber et al., 2024; Hamilton et al., 2014), this review provides a comprehensive and structured integration of existing knowledge and identifies critical gaps for future research. Existing review literature has either used the TCCM framework or the ADO framework, but this review employs both frameworks simultaneously to provide a broader picture in terms of what has been done and what needs to be done.

The research on anti-consumption behaviour is based on multiple theories, which creates challenges for synthesis. The review reveals that anti-consumption is a multifaceted phenomenon driven by ethical, environmental, political, social, consumer resistance, well-being of consumers and political concerns (Shaw and Newholm, 2002; Black and Cherrier, 2010; Klein et al., 2004; Iyer and Muncy, 2009; Cherrier, 2009). These antecedents influence purchase intentions through both direct and mediated pathways, finally producing behavioural, psychological and market outcomes (Choi and Johnson, 2019; Lee and Yun, 2015). The nature of anti-consumption behaviour varies across different industries and consumer segments.

Despite substantial research, significant gaps remain in theoretical development, contextual coverage, measurement consistency and methodological advancement. The comprehensive research agenda proposed in this review provides clear directions for advancing knowledge in this area (following the TCCM and ADO frameworks; Paul et al., 2021; Rauber et al., 2024). The review reveals that there has been a lot of focus on antecedents of anti-consumption behaviour and a very few studies have examined decisions and outcomes. In rare cases, even when outcomes have been studied, they have been examined in terms of purchase intention and not actual purchase behaviour.

As consumer awareness of global challenges grows, understanding anti-consumption behaviour becomes increasingly important for academicians, practitioners and policymakers and this review adds to that understanding by providing a systematic synthesis of existing knowledge and a roadmap for future research (Hogg et al., 2009; Seegebarth et al., 2016; Vesterinen and Suikkanen, 2022).

While this study provides valuable insights into the antecedents and impacts of anti-consumption behaviour and purchase intention, several limitations should be acknowledged. The literature on consumer behaviour is too vast and the search string used to find relevant literature for this review is too narrow, making it possible to miss out significant works which use different terminologies but explain the same phenomenon of anti-consumption behaviour. Since the study was synthesised by following the TCCM and ADO frameworks, the review misses out the role of moderating factors (such as demographic and socio-economic variables) on the causal relationship between anti-consumption behaviour and purchase intention. The study examines a limited number of factors influencing anti-consumption behaviour, leaving out potentially significant variables such as psychological traits and broader sociological influences. The review results are based on the authors’ interpretation which may involve biases in categorising and reporting the literature synthesis. Empirical and longitudinal studies are necessary to better understand the dynamics over time.