Environmental Sensitivity in a Developing Country : Consumer Classification and Implications

Past research on consumers’ attitudes toward the environment has been conducted mostly in the context of developed countries. There is a need to investigate this topic in less affluent societies. This paper investigates the relationship between Turkish consumers’ attitudes and behaviors toward the environment. A multi stage area sampling procedure was used to select 1000 residences in Istanbul at which at-home personal interviews were conducted using standard surveys. A consumer cluster analysis based on behaviors toward the environment was conducted and three distinct segments were identified: 1. Active Concerned; 2. Passive Concerned; and, 3. Unconcerned. For each cluster, attitudinal, demographic, socioeconomic and leisure activity profiles were delineated. Attitudes toward specific behaviors were found to be the best predictors of behavior, followed by general attitudes, education and locus of control. Policy implications are provided for each cluster