Why consumers boycott fast fashion: the role of environmental concern and sustainability awareness

Abstract

As the fast fashion industry faces growing criticism for its environmental and social harm, understanding consumer boycott behavior is essential but still limited in academic research. This study addresses this gap by exploring how awareness of sustainable development, environmental concern, social concern, and universalism affect boycott intention. It also examines how these intentions influence actual boycott behavior. Additionally, the study investigates the mediating role of boycott intention and the moderating effect of sense of simplicity. Data were collected from 357 Vietnamese consumers and analyzed using structural equation modeling. The findings show that awareness of sustainable development directly influences boycott intention and indirectly affects boycott behavior through this intention. Environmental concern, social concern, and universalism also significantly predict boycott intention. Moreover, a sense of simplicity moderates the relationship between personal values and boycott intention. These results offer important implications for policymakers and fashion brands. They highlight the need for communication strategies that promote sustainable values and encourage minimalist lifestyles to foster responsible consumption.