ABSTRACT
In the early decades of discussions about sustainability, the perceived primacy of the need for economic growth pushed the topic of consumption reduction to the margins. In terms of securing behaviour change to reduce consumption, commercial marketers will also have an important part to play. The typology tries to illustrate the different generic attributes of problematic consumption, showing how they can reflect the quality and quantity of our consumption, and the motivations and consequences behind it. Manufacturers can promote consumption reduction through cleaner production initiatives that increase the material and energy efficiencies of products both in use and in how they are produced. Psychologists and sociologists will be more concerned with how motivations drive problematic consumption. Changes to technologies, production systems, and business models will play important roles in progressing towards sustainability but will be insufficient in the face of a population growing in size and consumption intensity.
