Abstract
The aim of this study is to design a sustainable consumption model in the health-based products market. The present study is applicable in terms of its purpose and qualitative in terms of its implementation method. The statistical population of the study includes 13 experts and specialists in the field of sustainable consumption, and the samples were selected using a purposive sampling method, and information collection continued until theoretical saturation. Data analysis in the qualitative section is performed using the data-driven method and MAXQDA software version 2020. The results of the research showed that the designed model, which includes causal conditions (attitude towards sustainable consumption, subjective norms, ethical commitment to sustainable consumption, consumer perception, values, social responsibility, sustainable consumption intention, and environmental awareness), contextual conditions (factors related to the marketing mix, environmental laws, political factors), intervening conditions (responsible consumption, sustainable consumption reduction behavior), category-centric, strategies (push marketing, sustainability incentives, use of celebrities, etc.), and consequences (life satisfaction, conservation of natural resources, health-oriented product purchasing behavior) were identified to explain the components of sustainable consumption in health-oriented products.
Introduction
Sustainable consumption behavior emphasizes the importance of reducing resource consumption and adopting circular economy principles to achieve sustainable development. By examining the impact of environmental awareness, hedonic and functional aspects on sustainable consumption and purchase intention, it can be concluded that environmental awareness has a significant impact on sustainable consumption (Khalid, M. et al., 2024). Today, companies and organizations are forced to include environmental protection issues in their activities in order to meet customer needs, act on social responsibility, and protect consumer rights (Emamgholi, 2011). It seems that lack of awareness of green products is the biggest obstacle to consuming such products (Teseng & Hung, 2017). By providing information and building trust in customers, a bond is created between the customer and the company, and this emotional bond with a place created as a result of the experience is effective on the individual's positive evaluation of that company and his behavioral tendencies in the future. (Yuskel et al., 2016) Another very important issue is that sustainable consumption, as a responsible approach to using resources, plays an important role in preserving the environment and improving the quality of life. With the increase in environmental challenges such as climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss, the importance of sustainable consumption has become more apparent than ever. Sustainable consumption is not limited to purchasing environmentally friendly products, but also includes everyday behaviors such as reducing waste, reusing goods, choosing sustainable food and reducing energy consumption. With increasing public awareness and global efforts, societies are seeking to adopt more sustainable practices to meet current needs while preserving resources and suitable conditions for future generations. However, the number of studies that specifically address the effects of sustainable consumption in various aspects is limited. On the other hand, most of the concerns of people in today's world and in our country are the health of the used products which cause less damage to the environment; and this doubles the importance of sustainable consumption in health-oriented products and explains the need to address this category. In fact, the main concern of the present study is the same, and an attempt has been made to fill the existing gaps and present a paradigmatic research model. Therefore, given the importance of the subject, an attempt has been made to address most of the aspects affecting sustainable consumption. Accordingly, the main issue of the present article is: How is the sustainable consumption model designed in the market for health-oriented products?
Theoretical framework
- Sustainable consumption
Sustainable consumption includes the use of products and services that meet basic needs and improve the quality of life, while minimizing the consumption of natural resources, toxic substances, and the emission of waste and pollutants throughout the life cycle so that the needs of future generations are not jeopardized. At its core, sustainable consumption requires a change in consumer behavior, encouraging individuals and communities to make more environmentally conscious decisions. This includes reducing consumption of goods, choosing products with lower environmental impacts, and adopting practices such as recycling and reuse. The principle emphasizes the importance of consumers paying attention to the environmental footprint of their choices and moving them towards lifestyles that help preserve the environment. Sustainable consumption is not limited to individual choices, but also involves making systematic changes to production processes and supply chains to embed sustainability into the structure of consumer products and services (Khajuria, A & Verma, 2025). Some researchers consider sustainable consumption behavior as an act of voluntary convenience or anti-consumption (MoradiDehkordi & Barrani, 2022); while others define it as the adoption of green lifestyle activities. Diverse perspectives and explanations make sustainable consumption behavior a complex phenomenon to describe and predict. Some marketers and policymakers have emphasized the need to understand the social and institutional actions that may encourage the development of environmentally friendly behavior among consumers. Other studies have discussed the role of individual values ​​in influencing sustainable behaviors (Jain, 2021). In addition, the higher price of sustainable products compared to conventional options is another important factor in sustainable consumption. Given the associated economic challenges, the issue of affordability must be taken seriously. Local and major news media point to higher prices for eco-friendly products, and claims like “buying green is too expensive for the average consumer” are proposed, and consulting firms are examining why “today’s pricing is a barrier to sustainability.” While previous studies have shown that product price is a barrier to green purchasing, new research shows that not only consumers’ actual financial resources, but also their financial withdrawals predict sustainable consumption. However, consumers who follow plant-based diets actually spend less on food purchases than other consumers. Therefore, actual financial ability and withdrawals can have similar or different effects on consumer choices (Schnack, A. & Gan, C., 2024).
Research Methodology
This research is applicable in terms of purpose, and qualitative in terms of implementation. A purposive sampling strategy was used to explore the phenomenon under study. Given that the subject of presenting a sustainable consumption model in the health-oriented product market was to collect information, academic experts and university professors specializing in the field of consumer behavior who had published articles on this topic were consulted, and data collection continued until theoretical saturation was reached. In this research, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 participants from the aforementioned statistical population. Finally, the research data were analyzed through a coding process based on the systematic approach of Strauss and Corbin's data theory. In this method, the stages of data analysis were carried out through open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. Data analysis were carried out through coding the interviews in the 2020 MAXQDA software.
Research findings
In this study, considering the meaning of these codes, each has been categorized into a similar concept, and thus the research concepts were determined. The categories were written in the form of components based on the analysis of the interviews. The findings from this stage indicate that such a systematic and comprehensive study has not been conducted so far, and each of the studies has focused on a specific aspect and has not been presented in a comprehensive and systematic framework. The coding process consists of three stages: open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. The results of this study provide a model with 26 indicators in sustainable consumption. Factors include causal conditions (attitude towards sustainable consumption, subjective norms, ethical commitment to sustainable consumption, consumer perception, values, social responsibility, sustainable consumption intention, green management education, environmental awareness), contextual conditions (factors related to the marketing mix, environmental laws, political factors, political antecedents), focal category (sustainable consumption, health-oriented products), strategies (marketing, sustainability incentives, understanding economic models, green management education, sustainable identity formation, use of celebrities), consequences (satisfaction with life, purchasing behavior of health-oriented products, conservation of natural resources), and intervening conditions (responsible consumption, sustainable consumption reduction behavior) that explain the components of sustainable consumption in health-oriented products were identified.
Conclusion
The main result of this study is to provide a comprehensive model of sustainable consumption in the health-oriented products market. The results of this study indicate that using strategies in the field of sustainable consumption such as sustainable incentives, which include promoting simple procedures for sustainable consumption and training in creating business models based on sustainable consumption and using creative and intelligent strategies to attract customer attention, which ultimately results in things such as life satisfaction, conservation of natural resources (choosing products with the least environmental pollution, reducing greenhouse gases, reducing global warming due to the use of health-oriented products), and purchasing behavior for health-oriented products. The results of this study are consistent with the results of Kumar, S, & Yadav (2021), Simeone, M. et al., (2025), Abbasi & Rezaei (2017), Haung (2022), Milas Zewicz (2022), and Ambuli et al., (2022). The results of these factors showed that sustainable consumption attitudes and mental norms, and consumer perception have a significant impact on sustainable behavior and can play an effective role in marketing health-oriented products. Sustainable consumption behavior is influential in adopting appropriate strategies and actions; and background conditions such as supportive policies, integration of innovation policies, and environmental policies can provide a suitable platform for the activities of health-oriented product manufacturers in developing sustainable consumption.
According to the present study, the following suggestions are presented:
• Ethical consumerism training patterns
• Granting bank loans to health-oriented product manufacturers
• Availability of health-oriented products
• Using creative and intelligent strategies to attract customer attention
• Supporting local economy and innovation in sustainable consumption