Awareness of sustainability, climate emergency, and generation Z's consumer behaviour in UAE

Abstract

This research investigates the attitudes and behaviors of Generation Z university students in the UAE towards sustainable fashion using a local college in Abu Dhabi as the study population. The literature review highlights a potential gap between the sustainability claims of Generation Z and their actual pro-environmental behaviour. The research aims to explore this gap by connecting the study to a Middle Eastern high-street fashion brand. The study uses components of Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behaviour and Stern's Value Belief Norm Theory to design the research. The research gap is addressed using both qualitative and quantitative primary research methods. The survey data are analyzed using SPSS, with statistical analysis techniques such as correlation, cross-tabulation, frequency tables, and pivot tables. Thematic analysis is used to analyse the qualitative interview data. The findings suggest that the primary reasons for choosing the brand are modesty, price, and fashion, rather than its sustainability appeal.