“Green Consumption” in Rio de Janeiro: A Comparative Study between Generations Y and Z

This paper discusses the buying behavior of generations Y and Z related to eco-friendly products or “green products” under the logic of the consumer society. The analysis was executed by members of the research group “Rizoma verde” of the graduate program of the Psychology Institute of Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (PPG/EICOS/UFRJ). The methodology is qualitative and exploratory, carried out from a fieldwork, with interviews held on 25^th and 26^th of November 2017, during the Black Friday event and the following day at exits of malls in the northern and southern area of Rio de Janeiro. The theoretical basis is grounded in concepts presented by Zygmunt Bauman, N’estor Canclini, and Gilles Lipovetsky. This study features inherent attributes of generations Baby Boomer, X, Y, and Z, highlighting profoundly the behaviors of generations Y and Z. The data analysis of these generations indicates an equal perception, knowledge, and expectation regarding the consumption of eco-friendly products and the environment. However, both generations do not prioritize the purchase because of the environment features; instead, they want a cost/benefit ratio.

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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The datasets used in this study are openly available at [repository link] and the source code is available on GitHub at [GitHub link].

This work did not receive any external funding.