ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with evidence relevant to factors that affect the process of changing habits. Placed in a social context, the importance of social norms for acting in a pro-environmental manner is recognized. The chapter summarizes some consumers never associate environmental values with attitudes toward purchase of everyday products. Other criteria will determine their choice. Many additional consumers have only weak associations between environmental values and attitudes and behaviour. A model for behavioural change from an old to a new habit will be described below. Important factors in this process, besides attitudes, are environmental values and social norms. When environmental values are accentuated, the behaviour is placed within a social context. Habitual behaviour is an automatic response to cues in the environment, it proceeds with little awareness and is goal-directed. The automatic process should compete with a new behavioural intention: to make an environmentally benign choice.
