Unsustainable consumption in the last decades has led to ecological crises with harmful consequences for environment and society on the rise. In response to these issues, the notions of sustainable and green consumption emerge. Research has pointed at green consumption and pro-environmental behavior varying in different cultural contexts and among different generations. The aim of the current study is to characterize and examine the factors that influence green sustainable consumption in Bulgaria among Generation Z, living in the biggest Bulgarian cities. Based on literature connected to green and sustainable consumption and theoretical framework on theories of practices, data for the conduct of the study was gathered in a qualitative manner as 8 semi-structured interviewees were performed with eight members of Generation Z living in biggest Bulgarian cities.
Practice theory perspective of Warde was applied to explore how adolescents engage in green consumption, what are their social interactions that motivate such practices. The results indicated that engagements in healthy lifestyles, pursuit of personal health and sport performance influence green consumption. Furthermore, social surroundings as parents, friends and social media spaces play a role in inclusion in green and sustainable practices. Other identified factors have been found to be economy and practicality, skepticism on green labeled products, accessibility and school education. Based on these findings, it is recommended for businesses to change their communication about green products and rethink product accessibility. For policy makers it is recommended to think of measures that can be implemented for environmentally harmless, sustainable practices, regulative control and properly working systems and structures within society, business and institutions