Exploring the Relationship between Chinese Urban Residents’ Perceptions of Sustainable Consumption and Their Efficiency Behavior: A Mediation and Moderation Analysis Based on the Social Practice Approach

Abstract

There exists a problem of insufficient perception of sustainable consumption and the “perception–action paradox” among Chinese urban residents. To address this problem, we construct a holistic research framework, integrating micro and macro levels based on the “Social Practice Approach”, with lifestyle as the mediating variable and supply conditions as the moderating variable. This study aims to reveal the relationship between the sustainable consumption perception and efficiency behaviors of Chinese urban residents, as well as the associated influence mechanisms. Our results show that a sustainable consumption perception exerts a significantly positive influence on four dimensions of lifestyle and efficiency behaviors. Significant differences are explicitly identified among the four dimensions of lifestyle on efficiency behavior, and the mediating effect between sustainable consumption perception and efficiency behaviors, especially the development concern and price concern. Product sustainability perception and product facility availability conditions significantly positively moderate the relationship between sustainable consumption perception and efficiency behavior. Exploring the four dimensions of lifestyle and their deep-seated mediation effect on efficiency behavior will broaden the theoretical perspective of efficiency behavior research and guide sustainable consumption practices in China.