Ease over Earth: An exploratory study of the awareness of packaging sustainability among young online shoppers in UAE

Organizations, suppliers and consumers are highly sensitive towards environmental impacts arising from their operations today. Under this context, green consumption and the green packaging are gaining popularity among consumers. This research evaluates young educated consumer perception towards green packaging in Sri Lanka. A survey was conducted targeting university students who are reading for an undergraduate degree in Sri Lanka. Demographical information, attitudes and beliefs, knowledge about environmental sustainability, environmental awareness, and factors influencing their consumer behavior towards green packaging were collected through the survey. The data was analyzed using the Analytical Hierarchical Process. The findings of the research help understand main factors which influence the young educated consumer behavior towards green packaging and the level of influence of each factor. The analysis also reveals the hindrances and challenges withholding the use of green packaging.

Purpose Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly shaping the lifestyles of young consumers, influencing their choices and behaviors in various aspects of life. AI’s ability to personalize experiences and recommendations has transformed how young consumers interact with products, services and information. It has enabled more informed decision-making and promoted sustainable practices through tailored recommendations for eco-friendly products and services. The purpose of this study is to analyze how AI-driven technologies influence young consumers’ purchasing decisions toward sustainable products and services. Design/methodology/approach An exploratory and descriptive approach has been applied in this research by using qualitative techniques. The respondents taken for this study are young adults who use AI and believe it influences their purchasing decisions. Data has been collected from 32 respondents through semi-structured interviews. And further thematic analysis was applied by using NVivo (12). Findings The findings of this study unveiled themes namely personalization and customization, social influence, promotion of sustainable practices and community engagement, which influence the young consumers’ lifestyle and influence them to adopt sustainable practices. Research limitations/implications This study has used a qualitative technique only rather than a mixed approach. The respondents of this study are Indians so the findings cannot be generalized in the geographical part of other countries. Practical implications This paper has provided implications for young consumers, entrepreneurs. The findings describe that young consumers should adopt ethical and sustainable practices in their day-to-day routines. Young consumers who are businessmen should also apply sustainable practices in their supply chain system, waste reduction and carbon footprints. Originality/value Since the inception of artificial intelligence, there has been a growing emphasis on how AI is influencing young consumers’ lifestyle. This study has focused on how their lifestyle is influenced by AI and more tilted toward sustainability factors. To the best of the author’s knowledge, the study is the first to examine the influence of AI on young consumer behavior and the adoption of their sustainable practices.

This study investigates the perceptions of librarians regarding sustainable practices in libraries across the United Arab Emirates. The research addresses a significant gap in the literature as most of the sustainable studies related to libraries have been focused on developed countries, with limited research in the context of the United Arab Emirates. The study aims to explore the awareness levels, attitudes towards sustainability and implementation strategies among librarians in various types of libraries. The study employs a quantitative approach. A structured survey was conducted among 112 library professionals across the United Arab Emirates using a 5-point Likert scale to assess and examine the current state of sustainable practices, key environmental and community engagement initiatives, the perceived importance of sustainability practices, and actions, attitudes and challenges related to sustainability practices in libraries. The study also investigates the potential differences in perceptions based on librarians’ roles, gender, type of library and years of experience. The findings reveal a generally positive attitude towards sustainable practices with moderate variability in the responses. The key challenges identified include limited funding, insufficient resources, the need for training and resistance to change. The study’s findings emphasize the need for enhanced training programmes, a dedicated budget, increased awareness campaigns and strategic community engagement to overcome these challenges. They will contribute to the growing body of knowledge on sustainable practices in libraires in the Middle Eastern region, providing insights into challenges and opportunities. Furthermore, the study provides recommendations for enhancing sustainability efforts, integrating smart technologies and aligning library practices with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This has implications for library policy, practice and education in the United Arab Emirates and beyond, potentially leading to a collaborative sustainable movement among libraries to implement innovative green practices and community engagement initiatives. The study also provides recommendations for future research, such as similar studies on users’ perspectives, the evaluation of the impact of existing sustainable polices, and the use of artificial intelligence technologies in enhancing sustainable practices in libraries.

Climate change, overconsumption, air, and water pollution continue to be pressing issues for society. Given the significant impact of overconsumption, the search for strategies to promote more sustainable behavior has become a topic for investigation. Universities are uniquely positioned to help students work toward sustainable solutions. This research explored the role of mindfulness in university students' sustainable consumption awareness and practice as there are gaps in the literature concerning definitions, constructs, and research regarding mindfulness and sustainable consumption. To address these disparities, this research used stepwise regression analysis to investigate the extent to which mindfulness and select demographic measures explained variation in sustainable awareness and consumption practices among 809 university students at a university located in the southeastern United States. The 15-item Mindful Attention and Awareness Scale was used together with measures of sustainable consumption awareness and practice. In addition, this study examined the extent to which meditation operated as either a moderating or mediating variable in the relationship between mindfulness and sustainable consumption awareness and practice. Taken together, results revealed that demographic variables and mindfulness explained more variation in sustainable consumption awareness than in sustainable consumption practices. Although mindfulness was a positive predictor of both, the findings surrounding religion and religiosity were surprising. The most significant positive predictors of sustainable consumption awareness were associated with individuals identifying as atheists or agnostic. Contrary to expected findings, these results cast a new light on the role of religion or lack thereof in sustainable consumption. In addition, undergraduates who did not meditate were less aware of the need for sustainable consumption. Finally, the Sobel test revealed that meditation operated neither as a moderating or mediating factor for sustainable consumption awareness; however, meditation did have a moderating impact between mindfulness and sustainable consumption practice. The findings offer insight into the attitude-behavior gaps prevalent in sustainable consumption practice, resulting in inaction, further compounding environmental issues. The study prompts a rethinking of the role of institutions of higher education regarding sustainability and the role that organized religion may play in developing the attitudes of undergraduates.

Ensuring sustainability in sensory sciences

The construction industry makes a significant contribution to the global green-house gas emission. It is, therefore, critical that construction industry professionals should be aware of and practise sustainable construction. However, there is a paucity of studies on the awareness of sustainability and their practices in developing countries, with some results seemingly contradicting. This article explored the awareness and practices of sustainability in the Zambian construction industry. Data was collected from construction industry professionals through a questionnaire survey and a total of 112 responses were received. The relative importance index (RII) and a series of linear regression analyses were used to analyse the data. The participants’ perception of sustainability was primarily enviro-centric as opposed to the economic or social context. However, social and economic sustainability practices ranked highest, while environmental sustainability practices ranked in the bottom five of the 16 practices. While the participants perceived the environmental context as more critical in their understanding of sustainability, their practice reflected a focus on the social and economic sustainability context. The findings imply that merely increasing the level of knowledge and awareness of environmental sustainability may not lead to gross improvements in environmental sustainability practices. Therefore, studies that recommended increasing knowledge and awareness, in order to increase the implementation of environmentally sustainable construction, may have neglected the effect of the other barriers to sustainable construction which may be more critical. Studies with multivariate analyses such as structural equation modelling are needed to establish the contributory effect of the various barriers to environmental sustainability practices and so establish the extent to which knowledge and awareness alone, and other factors, can improve environmental sustainability practices.

This study examines how young consumers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with emphasis on female university students, actively use commodities and services, especially those related to brands and luxury products, to forge and express their personal and collective identities. Understood as a socio-cultural practice, rather than purely economic, brand consumption becomes a site where multiple images and meanings interact. Thus, commodities do not only serve to satisfy basic needs but also to create and negotiate identity and unique images of consumers’ lifestyles. The study adopts a qualitative research method; a total of 255 in-depth interviews were conducted with students at the UAE University in Al Ain city, UAE, during the academic year 2017–2018. It demonstrates that most students use plenty of their available resources (time, money, effort, and technology) on consumption. Through various practices of conspicuous consumption, they seek not only to display their tastes and choices but also to distinguish themselves from non-Emirati students. In the process of constructing and maintaining their self-concepts, consumers continuously attach various generated meanings and symbols to brands. Social media platforms constitute a significant and powerful tool in promoting the practice of online shopping and trademark connectivity among young consumers.

Consumers are vital stakeholders in creating and reducing food waste. However, limited research into consumers’ perceptions of food waste and food packaging is available to inform research, packaging design or policy so that sustainable consumption practices among consumers might be better encouraged and enabled. By applying multivariate linear modelling to a sample of 965 Australian consumers, this study investigated consumers’ perceptions of packaging and packaging’s relationship to food waste. Overall, consumers perceived packaging waste as a more serious environmental issue than food waste. Most consumers did not consider food waste as an extreme environmental issue. Consumers’ perceptions of the seriousness of food waste also influenced their perceptions of packaging designed to reduce food waste. Significant differences between men and women and older and younger consumers were found regarding the relationship between packaging and food waste as well as food waste as an environmental issue. This study provides a detailed understanding of consumers and packaging, and it alerts designers and decision-makers to the differing attitudes towards food and packaging waste as well as the likelihood of consumers taking up more sustainable consumption practices.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVESSustainable practices in foodservice organizations including commercial and noncommercial ones are critical to ensure the protection of the environment for the future. With the rapid growth of the foodservice industry, wiser usage of input sources such as food, utilities, and single use packaging should be reconsidered for future generations. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the customer's perceptions on sustainable practices and to identify the relationship among sustainable practices, social contribution and purchase intention.SUBJECTS/METHODSThe study was conducted using content analyses by reviewing articles on sustainable food service practices published domestically and abroad. Thereafter, data were collected with a face-to-face survey using a questionnaire and analyzed with factor analyses and multiple regressions.RESULTSSustainable practices classified with factor analysis consisted of 6 dimensions of green food material procurement, sustainable food preparation, green packaging, preservation of energy, waste management, and public relations on green activity, with a total of 25 green activities in foodservice operations. Consumers were not very familiar with the green activities implemented in the foodservice unit, with the lowest awareness of "green food material procurement (2.46 out of 5 points)", and the highest awareness of "green packaging (3.74)" and "waste management (3.28). The factors influencing the perception of social contribution by foodservice organizations among 6 sustainable practice dimensions were found to be public relations on green activity (β = 0.154), waste management (β = 0.204) and sustainable food preparation (β = 0.183). Green packaging (β = 0.107) and the social contribution of the foodservice organization (β = 0.761) had strong relationships with the image of the organization. The purchase intentions of customers was affected only by the foodservice image (β = 0.775).CONCLUSIONSThe results of this study suggest that sustainable practices by foodservice organization present a good image to customers and increase the awareness of valuable contributions that benefit the customer as well as the community.

Eco‐conscious businesses are increasingly adopting sustainable materials and improving production efficiency to reduce carbon emissions. These efforts not only minimize waste but also help conserve natural resources. Through extended business responsibility (EBR), firms actively promote sustainable consumption by raising consumer awareness. As awareness grows, purchasing behavior shifts toward environmentally responsible choices, ultimately reducing ecological harm. In contexts where environmental values (EVs) are prominent, social pressure often drives firms toward more sustainable practices. This study addresses a gap in the literature by examining the mediating role of EVs in the relationship between EBR and sustainable environmental awareness (SEA). Based on survey data from 396 participants in Türkiye, partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS‐SEM) was employed for analysis. The findings reveal that EVs partially mediate the relationship between EBR and SEA, serving as a catalyst that enhances the effect of EBR on sustainability awareness. The results provide valuable insights for a wide range of businesses, including manufacturers and e‐commerce firms. By aligning with the expectations of environmentally conscious consumers, companies can not only strengthen their sustainability agendas but also gain a sustainable competitive advantage. This study contributes to the literature on sustainable business practices by applying PLS‐SEM in the context of an emerging economy and highlighting the critical role of EVs in fostering sustainability awareness.

The construction of pile foundation is a multifaceted activity among rest of the construction activities that are performed by heavy machines, materials, and energy sources generating substantial amount of CO2 and greenhouse gases along with many other forms of environmental pollution. Sustainable piling construction guarantees that the whole piling process meets environmental sustainability and ultimately human health and wellbeing. Many countries around the world, including United States, China, the United Arab Emirates, are in the forefront of reengineering piling construction activities. Implementation of sustainable practices in piling construction Sri Lanka is still at a low level. Succinctly, several hindrances and barriers can be identified when adopting sustainable piling construction practices. Hence, the aim of this paper is to identify the environmental impact due to the current piling construction practices in Sri Lanka and to investigate barriers in implementing sustainable piling construction practices. A questionnaire survey was conducted among thirty (30) experts in piling construction. Significant barriers were identified using the relative importance index technique in data analysis. The findings revealed that among the ten (10) barriers identified, cost overrun and poor pile design, investment risk, lack of awareness of sustainable techniques and technologies as the top three (3) barriers in implementing sustainable piling construction practices. The study clearly identified the need for improving sustainability practices that can also enhance cost-effectiveness and performance efficiency. Findings of this study will be useful in formulating strategies to overcome the barriers and improve sustainability practices in the local construction industry.

This paper emphasizes that the foundational direction of global citizenship education is sustainable awareness and practice. It examines the feasibility of this approach, focusing on the case of D University's liberal arts course class. To achieve this objective, key considerations and challenges that need addressing when implementing global citizenship education in university liberal arts programs were highlighted initially. Insights were shared on practical challenges in global citizenship education between countries, issues related to the process and design of learning domains, and the categorization of courses based on subject groups. The outlined outcomes were derived from a project class within the subject group at D University, the sole subject group to offer a global citizenship education course.Firstly, within the realm of global citizenship education, activities in cognitive, social, emotional, and behavioral domains are occasionally conducted sequentially; however, it is evident that these three areas can also be concurrently addressed. Secondly, experiences through projects can contribute to the scalability and sustainability of both individuals and regions. Although scalability and sustainability may pose challenges for individuals, fostering solidarity with others and collaborating with various organizations facilitates sustainable awareness and practices in global citizenship education.From this study, we can infer that the potential for scalability and sustainability is heightened through collaborative projects with other students on campus and hands-on experiences can be gained as a member of an external non-governmental organization (NGO). Therefore, the concept of ‘sustainable practice’ encompasses ‘activity,’ ‘sustainability,’ and ‘scalability.’ This paper is meaningful as it presents a direction for global citizenship education in university liberal arts programs.

Purpose– This paper aims to examine five distinct consumer reactions, including corporate social responsibility (CSR) awareness, consumers’ complaining, boycotting behavior, work preferences and consumer donation behavior.Design/methodology/approach– The analysis in this paper was based on data collected by a team of experts in the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry from more than 555 United Arab Emirates (UAE) individuals, aged 18 years or older. Our study postulated that there will be no statistically significant differences in any or all of the five reactions among respondents with different age, varying degree of CSR awareness, working preference, donation and boycotting behavior, and methods of complaining about companies or their products.Findings– Gender analysis indicated that there is a statistically significant difference between male and female in terms of boycotting and complaining behaviors. Our analysis also showed that young consumers in the age group of 18-24 years react significantly different than older age group in terms of job preference. Third, the results of location analysis indicated that the UAE consumers’ contacting behavior to a company to voice an opinion about a company’s product or services are significantly different across the seven Emirates of UAE.Research limitations/implications– The findings of this study have many implications. First, there is no doubt that such findings will raise the consumers’ awareness of CSR. UAE companies will become more cognizant of their consumers’ behavior, especially when the consumers’ voice their opinion and show interest in the products or services offered by these companies. The implications of this study for the academics are that this study can be replicated in different parts of the globe to confirm or refute our findings.Practical implications– The findings of this study will enable UAE companies to design and implement strategies that aim at increasing their efficiency, competitiveness and the ability to compete in global markets.Social implications– Many of the developing economies started to realize how important CSR is. A fast growing economy such as that of UAE has given such topic an unprecedented attention. The social implication of our findings is that UAE corporations will have to rethink their strategies when it comes to their social responsibility toward society in which they exist. Our findings also enlighten consumers when it comes to their dealing with socially responsible corporations.Originality/value– This study is unique in that it is the first empirically based study to address the consumer behavior and their reaction toward socially responsible corporations.

This research is a literature review through Scopus descriptive database analysis using biblioshiny on research trends regarding sustainable lifestyles and awareness from 2005 to 2023. This research aims to identify dominant thematic areas, principal contributors, and their contributions to sustainable lifestyle practices and awareness publications. The research results are data visualization in the form of graphs and images presented by biblioshiny. Data visualization shows dynamic developments and increasing publication trends from year to year. Sustainable lifestyle practices and sustainability awareness are essential to achieve environmental and economic sustainability, especially in climate change. The thematic evolution analysis emphasizes the importance of a comprehensive approach considering behavioral, social, environmental, policy, and psychological dimensions. Key themes include sustainable consumption, social practices, and their impact on climate change. Leading authors and institutions have significantly contributed to advancing research in this field, accompanied by global collaboration between countries. The study concludes that research on sustainable lifestyle practices and awareness is essential in addressing the challenges of climate change and promoting sustainable development globally. Future research should focus on integrating multiple dimensions to effectively address climate change, supported by global collaboration and increased funding. These findings emphasize the need for a more comprehensive and integrative approach to support sustainable lifestyles and awareness, empower communities, and strengthen efforts to address global problems.

Packaging waste is a major environmental issue, making the transition to sustainable solutions imperative. This article proposes the concept of Shared Producer Responsibility (SPR) as a key approach to advancing sustainable packaging in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector. The study explores how the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting, and stakeholder engagement converge to support this transition. The research identifies current trends, challenges, and gaps in sustainable packaging practices through a systematic literature review (SLR) and analysis of sustainability and ESG reports from leading FMCG and packaging companies. The findings highlight the need for standardised reporting frameworks and improved stakeholder cooperation to enhance transparency and accountability in sustainability efforts. This study proposes a conceptual framework for accelerating sustainable packaging adoption through combining strategies like consumer education, regulatory incentives, and clear product labelling. The proposal to implement the concept of Shared Producer Responsibility emphasises the shared accountability of FMCG companies and packaging manufacturers in managing the full environmental lifecycle of packaging materials. This approach is crucial for achieving SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production) and SDG 13 (climate action) and driving more effective and sustainable packaging practices across the FMCG industry.