Does Sustainable Consumption Behaviour Influence Luxury Services Purchase Intention?

Abstract

The current study adds to the literature on the indirect and direct effect of sustainability in luxury services purchase intention. The agenda of researchers and professionals in the luxury industry is constantly changing, and not consensual in the literature, but sustainability has been playing an important role in society. Luxury services have also followed this trend, although studies are still quite limited. The aim of this study is to understand the role of sustainability in a luxury service in purchasing decision-making. The authors employed a quantitative method approach, conducting an online survey with 734 respondents, mainly in Europe, Brazil, and North America. The analysis of empirical research reveals that the bigger the consideration a luxury service has for sustainability, the greater the purchase intention of the consumer. The results confirm the role of hedonism, perceived value, high quality, status-gratification, social image, and perceived self-expression in the purchase intention decision, leading to an indirect and direct influence on the purchase intention. Furthermore, the findings demonstrate that sustainable consumption behaviour plays a mediating role in the decision-making when purchasing a luxury service. The study results provide practical guidance for service managers considering sustainability. Practical implications for driving the growth of sustainable consumption behaviour conclude this article.

1. Introduction

Throughout the past decades, the luxury industry has gained great notoriety and importance.

The growing demand for luxury brands is complicating the luxury market by presenting brand managers with new challenges [1]. The fact of understanding consumer expectations and their ability to manage according to profit leads the company to success in brand management [2,3]. Specifically, luxury hotels are trying to build lasting relationships with trustworthy customers through loyalty programs that aim to offer exclusive benefits to their loyal customers, as well as some exclusive amenities and personalized and unique experiences and services [4].

In the context of the hospitality industry, sustainability has been predominantly active over the past decades. Many sustainability related practices are considered by hotel customers [5] and they have found that hotels are increasingly taking actions related to water conservation, energy efficiency, and waste reduction [6,7,8] It was also explored that customer take into account sustainable activities in hotels [9]. Recently, pro-environmental behaviour in the hospitality industry showed concern within decision-making in the choice of a sustainable hotel instead of a less sustainable one [10]. In addition, customers’ characteristics, such as propensity to act in a pro-environmental way, show a high positive impact in their preference in selecting sustainable hotels [11,12,13,14,15].

Moreover, consumers who are used to travel reflect a high intention to stay in an environmentally friendly hotel and pay more for environmentally friendly products and services [16,17,18,19,20].

It also seems that customer’s income levels aim to affect their preferences when choosing sustainable hotels [21,22]. Even some features, such as its size [23,24], its cultural context [25,26], the attitudes, and unique treatment of the employees [27] and their social media strategies [28] are reflected in the impact of the effectiveness of sustainability strategies.

This study aims to understand whether awareness and concern with environmental practices interfere in the intention and decision to purchase luxury services when motivated by determinants, such as hedonism, perceived value, social image, high quality, status-gratification and self-expression.

Thus, the relevance of this study for the academic environment resides in the fact that today we are facing increasing importance of sustainability, which needs an analysis of what are its determinants. From the management perspective, it allows companies to understand and prepare themselves on the dimension of this phenomenon, by creating actions and determinants. This allows companies to develop capabilities on the scale of the phenomenon and create effective defence mechanisms.

From a managerial perspective, this research provides understanding to services managers and marketers into how to increase sustainable consumption by developing sustainable practices upon the items that are influencing customer consumption and purchase intention behaviour.

2. Literature Review

2.1. Conceptual Background—Theory and Hypotheses

2.1.1. Sustainability and Luxury

Standing out in the market is perhaps one of the main indicators of success for a brand or company, and sustainability plays a very important role in the search for this recognition. Sustainability differs through the set of policies and actions, economically sustainable and socially responsible, applied to the operations and products of a company [29]. Although sustainability needs a clear and more precise definition, it has been around for a long time [30]. Many authors have been devoting extensive research efforts to clarify this concept e.g., [31,32,33,34] however, sustainability is understood and explained in dissimilar approaches and absence, a generally pure meaning that defines its limits [35]. Certain terms, such as green, ecology, biological, conscientious, and responsible, are also related. The values of altruism, restraint, and moderation inherent to sustainability, based on ethics, contrast with hedonism, aestheticism, rarity, wealth, superfluity, and its immoral socio-historical narrative [36].

As well as sustainability, the definition of luxury is not consensual in the literature [37]. It is multiple and intangible, an ever-changing concept evolving with consumers’ tastes and likings. Linked to an idealized life, extras need and social image, unnecessarily luxurious items, or intimate exceptions of self-indulgence [38], luxury varies according to individual experiences and perceptions. This concept has been changing over time [39]. Luxury values are very often associated with personal and experimental pleasures, while sustainable consumption is related to modesty and ethics [40]. Luxury is also no longer associated only with service, but additionally with its brand, experience, and lifestyle it represents [41].

Sustainability and luxury goals remained deemed divergent, and sustainability matters were ignored in the luxury business [42,43]. This exponential growth in luxury reveals that this industry is tackling a shortage of reserves [44]; in addition, there is a bigger need for sustainable practices. Society’s ideals, theories, and goals have changed meaningfully around the world in the past, as they are increasingly concerned about the environment and social effect of luxury services purchase intention [45]. Sustainability appeared as an opportunity for companies to differentiate themselves from their competitors. The struggle of the luxury market is not simply economic and financial (clients, market share, sales, and revenue), but conjointly for sustainable initiatives to be able to obtain new customers, by satisfying their requests and exceeding expectations [46,47,48,49,50]. For this, luxury companies should fortify the link among the three main pillars of sustainability; specifically, environmental, economic, and social [51] by innovating through technology, procurement, production, packing, operations, logistics, retail, reuse, and recycling practices [52,53,54]. The relationship between luxury and sustainability is a co-dependent relationship in which one player does not exist without the other. This relationship is due to the fact that new luxury consumers have strong social and environmental values and are engaged in more sustainable consumption patterns. They combine the not only the ethical criteria, by considering animals and nature protection, but also the luxury consumption criteria, as uniqueness and self-concept [55,56]. Hereupon, we verify a clear duality between luxury and sustainable consumption.

2.1.2. Sustainability and Context Luxury Services

The economic evolution in developing countries, generated by technological revolution and globalization, led to an exponential increase in consumption patterns boosted by the market, as well as unsustainable consumption. It is crucial to look at the economic issue and the cost that sustainable actions will have on a company’s coffers, such as the return on investment, and the capital invested must be taken into consideration. It was observed that many types of consumption exhaust useful resources [57]. Sustainable development is one of the main concerns of the young world, and the concern with the sustainable aspect of business, besides its environmental and social impact, may be determinant for companies’ futures and even the environment, and hospitality services and goods are an example of this [39].

The growth of a business must be beneficial not only to its owners; the consumer and other people involved in the production and development of that business also need to benefit. All of this must be conducted without damaging the environment in which it operates. Corporate sustainability should also work for the company that makes use of its policies. Actions and decisions must also be sustainable for the company, ensuring its future. Proving corporate sustainability results in integrated reporting [58]. There is a clear consensus that paths to sustainability involve a reliable supply of ecosystem services which contribute to human well-being [59,60]. The ecosystem service is an important background in sustainability [61]. One of the major reasons that drew attention to sustainable consumption behaviour in the luxury market was the origin of raw materials, such as animal skins, gold, and precious stones; human labour conditions, such as the existence of clandestine factories, forced labour, or child exploitation; manufacturing methods or disposal of environmentally harmful waste, such as the use of mercury to treat skins, among others [62]. Sustainability can be transformed into a strong competitive advantage and, consequently, generate more profits for companies. Whenever there are investments in activities, corporate actions or programs combined with sustainable consumption behaviour and good communication, there is a high chance of business success.

Services are time-based and have no transfer of ownership that occurs in services transactions. These are economic activities carried out by one party to another through access to labour, talents, expertise, knowledge, facilities, networks, and systems [63] which is crucial for the luxury services context. The luxury services experiences are also time-based, and are based on consumers’ values, desires, and goals [64]. As many definitions of luxury require a focus on high-quality services, the reasons often quoted for purchasing luxury services are hedonic consumption, quality, status-gratification, perceived value and social image, and a physical benefit of superiority that stipulates amusement, just for purchasing intention.

2.1.3. Luxury Hospitality Industry

In tourism, sustainability represents a key driver of success for most companies [10,65,66,67,68].

In the luxury hospitality industry market, many hotels offer superior and more personalized services to retain their loyal customers on the market of excellence [69]. The hospitality industry has experienced notable growth and stands for the third-largest market share in the universal luxury industry [70,71]. The customers and businesses were more assured about their funds and spent extra on luxuries, such as traveling [72]. The most significant trends stem from an essential change in luxury consumption, from possessing to being. This luxury hospitality market is characterized by experiential and unique experiences that include high-quality goods and services, exclusivity, and luxury hotels [73]. A luxury hotel can be unique, provide superiority in quality, and excellent service [70,71]. For this, the hotels should consider the importance of sustainable consumption behaviour [74,75] and adopt environmentally sustainable practices. Lately, [10] explored the pro-environmental behaviour in hospitality and highlighted the importance of the decision making in choosing a sustainable hotel rather than a less sustainable one. Likewise, [70,71] demonstrate that consumers decide to choose the luxury hotel, if it adopts new green practices.

Previously, the hospitality industry was linked to concepts, such as extreme consumerism, excessively high costs, elitism, or guilty pleasures. Specifically, the desire to express a self-concept is understood as one of the main motivations behind the choice of a hospitality brand. Therefore, consumption contributes to the creation of consumers’ self-concepts, using the brand identity, assisting to build a self-image. Furthermore, the hotel hedonic and symbolic value influence consumers’ emotions and purchase intentions [70,71]. Indeed, status consumption is fundamental in luxury hospitality, despite the differences between luxury hospitality services and luxury goods [76].

The new generations are increasingly aware of the social and environmental point of view and, therefore, have greater expectations for the hospitality brands to be more sustainable and ethical in their production processes. This means that if hospitality brands want to retain these customers, they need to develop ethical and sustainable hospitality models.

In hospitality, the brands’ activities nowadays include sustainable consumption behaviours and development measures in their daily activities. According to the triple bottom line conceptualized by [77], sustainable achievements must cover environmental, social, and economic factors to focus on the values of the corresponding generations and minimize the negative effects. Previous research on sustainable consumption behaviour has mainly focused on the economic dimension of sustainability [78,79]. Other authors have specifically addressed the environmental dimension [80,81,82,83]. Few studies have highlighted that sustainability management comprises all three pillars of sustainability [84,85,86]. There have been pointed out various reasons and anticipations leading to sustainable consumption behaviour performance and inquired into their repercussions on business performance [87,88,89].

Managers’ behaviour can be seen as a primary factor, since most companies in the hospitality industry are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), dependent on managers’ choices, in discrepancy to large hotel chains [89,90]. To take advantage of a more endemic understanding of what drives sustainable consumption behaviour in companies, a denser advance in the field of research that deals with dynamic organizational determinants and possible mediators need to be affected. Thus, it is proceeded to examine the connection between purchasing a luxury service and sustainable practices on sustainable consumption behaviours, always in the presence of intermediaries, which are understood as an element of advantage of sustainable consumption behaviour.

2.2. Conceptual Framework and Development of Hypotheses

Sustainable Consumption Behaviour (SCB)

The behaviour of sustainable consumption is related to consumers who place great importance on sustainability and aim to satisfy their basic daily needs, significantly improving consumers’ life quality without threatening the demands and interests of future generations [91,92]. These consumers carry out activities that aim to protect the environment and give preference to this lifestyle, avoiding behaviours that harm the natural environment, living organisms, as well as other humans [91,93]. Sustainable consumption behaviour takes into account the product and services life cycle, as well as manufacturing, transportation, circulation, use, disposal, recycling, etc., with the main objective of avoiding polluting emissions and damaging the ecosystem, reducing hazards to human health, and preventing irreversible prejudice to the environment [92,94,95].

Sustainable consumption intends to reduce environmental concerns, increase security, achieve a reasonable natural resource distribution, increase well-being, create a healthful life, and adopt social responsibility [96]. Most of these behaviours in the hospitality industry include energy conservation, replacing traditional lamps for efficient ones, purchasing energy-efficient products with low consumption, and water savings. Another crucial behaviour is the recycling of resources and goods, and environmental protection or green consumption activities, and the purchase of recycled goods [91].

The influence of society can easily promote the customer’s sustainable consumption behaviour, and the influence of service providers, to comply with the strategy of sustainable consumption. The hotels must provide green and sustainable products and facilities and create new products and services so that the concept of sustainable development can be integrated into the accommodation and penetrate the behaviour of customers. Many researchers observed an increase in the number of consumers who buy luxury services from a hedonic, aesthetic, and symbolic experience that makes them acquire their benefits.

3. Hypotheses Development

3.1. The Impact of Hedonism on Sustainable Consumption Behaviour

Hedonism has an important role in mediating the relationship among consumer emotions, attitudes, and behaviours in the context of luxury services [97,98,99], having the predominantly empirical notion that the consumption of luxury services considers pleasure one of the main benefits [100,101]. The key to this escapism is liminality, the divergence between social classes and linked to the ways of being [102,103], the consumers escape the realism of their lives by purchasing a luxury service. Hedonic motivation is the personification of fun and pleasure within an individual that can manifest in all acts [100,101]; everyone has hedonism, as pleasure remains fundamental [104]. Other studies have also assumed that consumers with high hedonic motivation interact enthusiastically and easily socialize with others while shopping [105]. Nowadays, hedonism can easily promote customers’ sustainable consumption behaviour, as well as affect luxury service providers, to comply with the sustainable consumption strategy. [106] recognised a paradox on the fit between hedonism and sustainable luxury. A consumer may see sustainability as utilitarian and luxury as hedonic [107], however, [108] suggest that hedonism is part of sustainable luxury, and that sustainability is a great added value.

Services must have green and sustainable products and facilities, as well as contribute to the creation of new products and services so that sustainable development penetrates customers’ behaviour. Therefore, when customers decide to purchase luxury services, they are influenced by hedonism and will prefer to adopt sustainable and environmentally friendly consumer behaviours.

Based on discussions related to the growing importance of green consumerism and due to the fact that several researchers have become familiar with the concept of green marketing, such as greenwashing and green concern [109], environmental concern [110], environmental knowledge [111], our research was carried out to test the impact of hedonism on sustainable consumption behaviour and purchase intention, to bridge the gap and thus this research proposes the following hypotheses.

Hypothesis 1 (H1).

Hedonism positively influences sustainable consumption behaviour.

3.2. The Impact of Perceived Value on Sustainable Consumption Behaviour

The perceived value is based on the perceptions of the service that is offered and given; the consumer assesses its usefulness [112,113], which may also be associated with the trade-off between perceived benefits and costs. The perceived value has a great influence on the decision-making process of customers, having a significant role in determining decision-making and purchasing behaviour. The experience perceived by customers is measured as a value, this means that if what the customer obtained of what he bought exceeded or not his expectations and what he had to give up obtaining it [112,113,114]. Therefore, it is hypothesized that:

Hypothesis 2 (H2).

Perceived value positively influences sustainable consumption behaviour.

3.3. The Impact of High Quality on Sustainable Consumption Behaviour

The quality and delivery of services differ from producer to producer, customer to customer, day to day, and hour to hour. It has been verified that to retain customers, the superior quality of the service can have a highly positive influence in the context of hospitality, including not only customer satisfaction, but also the corporate image and can influence consumer retention [115]. On the other hand, hotel companies that do not deliver service quality may face contentious issues, for instance, customer satisfaction [116,117] which may be shared in online reviews. The hospitality service reports hotel services, location, hygiene, price, safety, and staff friendliness as main aspects of service quality [118]. Apart from these attributes, we can identify others that can interfere in defining hotels, delivering, and measuring service quality. Therefore, it is hypothesized that:

Hypothesis 3 (H3).

High quality positively influences sustainable consumption behaviour.

3.4. The Impact of Status-Gratification on Sustainable Consumption Behaviour

Status-gratification is the need for a sense of accomplishment, social recognition, and the desire to enjoy the finer things in life [119,120], the desire or need to impact other people, to control or be in a position of influence. In this motivational process, individuals strive to improve their social position through the conspicuous consumption that they confer and symbolize a status for both themselves and the other significant people around them. Consumers with a high sense of status-gratification are more conscious of appearance and visibility, among others. Therefore, they are interested in expensive, exclusive, and unique services which provide superiority among others in society. The statuses seek visible evidence of the superior position that they claim before others, through the acquisition of superior services, which communicate meanings about themselves in reference groups. Attitudes related to luxury consumption are directly linked to a display of wealth and symbolic meanings of people’s social position according to the consumption of status that meets the needs of hedonic consumption [121]. Therefore, it is hypothesized that:

Hypothesis 4 (H4).

Status-gratification positively influences sustainable consumption behaviour.

3.5. The Impact of Perceived Social Image on Sustainable Consumption Behaviour

The perceived social image is involved in major psychosocial processes, such as self-presentation, emotional responses to moral violations, meta stereotypes, and the control of deviations in social groups [122]. The protection of one’s social image and other important ones plays a greater role in responding to interpersonal conflict in collectivist cultures than individualist ones; people are more concerned with what other people think of them than what they are. Many of the services that people enjoy are related to exclusivity and uniqueness. This need for uniqueness is a service of unsatisfactory self-evaluation [123]. Unique service experiences are one of the main reasons for consumers to differentiate themselves from others and express their social image. Therefore, enjoying these luxury services can also give these consumers a unique opportunity to a feeling of superiority among peers. The value of services grows when their awareness of exclusivity and uniqueness increases and leads to a status superiority in a social hierarchy. Therefore, it is hypothesized that:

Hypothesis 5 (H5).

Perceived social image positively influences sustainable consumption behaviour.

3.6. The Impact of Self-Expression on Sustainable Consumption Behaviour

Self-expression is the act of expressing one’s self-concept or individuality through a situation [124], as is the case of enjoying and purchasing a luxury service. This relates to the concept of conspicuous and hedonic consumption, which causes individuals to find pleasure in activities that demonstrate their status, knowledge, preferences, superiority position, and social image [125].

In the context of hospitality, self-expression is noteworthy, since consumers give great symbolic meaning to a leisure activity, superfluous [126], as in the case of luxury services, in the hospitality industry. For this, the consumer’s choice, its enjoyment, experience, and participation in the activities contained therein, serve as a means of expressing individuality and contributing to creating the impression to convey to others [127]. Therefore, it is hypothesized that:

Hypothesis 6 (H6).

Self-expression positively influences sustainable consumption behaviour.

3.7. The Impact of Sustainable Consumption Behaviour in the Purchase Intention

Purchase intention refers to all precedence of product portfolios for consumers when they are in the process of decision-making [128].

Therefore, the purchase intention can be a specific selection or purchase plan for products or services. The purchasing behaviour is connected to purchase intent and is affected by attitudes [129]. If consumers prove a positive attitude towards the environment, they intend to purchase green products [130]. Knowledge of the consumer’s environment [96] and the attitude towards the environment [131] acquire positive effects when they intend to purchase. These types of consumers are more likely to purchase effectively than those who do not intend to purchase. The green purchasing intentions have a positive effect on green purchasing behaviours [132].

The purchase intention of consumers of green products or services inevitably affects the sustainable behaviour of those who care about the environment and motivates them to choose products that do not cause environmental damage. Thus, the intention to choose environmentally friendly products or services will cause a high effect on the consumer’s sustainable consumption behaviour [93]. This study builds the following hypothesis:

Hypothesis 7 (H7).

Sustainable consumption behaviour positively influences purchase intention.

4. Method

4.1. Measures

To test the research hypothesis of the study, a self-completion questionnaire was administrated in English. Before launching this questionnaire, ten Portuguese individuals were requested to pre-test the questionnaire to refine the final version.

The constructs were developed based on scales from previous studies. Nine items adapted were used to measure sustainable consumption behaviour when purchasing a luxury service. In the questionnaire, respondents were shown a list of sustainable services consumption behaviours to take into consideration when answering the following questions to avoid different interpretations of the meaning of sustainable luxury services.

Hedonism, the desire to purchase the luxury service, was adapted from [98,100,105,133,134,135,136,137,138,139,140,141,142,143,144,145,146,147], and was measured using the scale: adventure; escape: fondness for the experience; fun; enjoyable feeling (pleasure); interest in buying; search for products/service (hunting); pleasant way to spend time during purchase; joy; new product or services; enthusiasm; satisfaction; stress relief; fondness for product/service; comment sharing; forgetting problems; belonging to environment; raising self-esteem; seeing other feeling well; seizing an opportunity; enchantment, using a 7-point Likert scale, (1) = totally disagree and (7) = totally agree measured each item.

Perceived value was measured using three items adapted from [148], plus three adapted from [149], using a 7-point Likert scale, (1) = totally disagree and (7) = totally agree measured each item. Regarding quality measurement, three items were used, adapted from [150], items adapted from [151,152], measured using a 7-point Likert scale, (1) = totally disagree and (7) = totally agree measured each item.

Status-gratification was adapted from social value, from [153] which introduced this customer value dimension into a multidimensional model. For this, four items were used, also measured using a 7-point Likert scale, (1) = totally disagree and (7) = totally agree measured each item. Perceived social image was adapted from [154,155,156] and it used seven items, also measured using a 7-point Likert scale, (1) = totally disagree and (7) = totally agree measured each item.

Concerning the construct of sustainable consumption behaviour, the items were developed according to [91,92,94] guidelines. Purchase intention was measured by four items adapted from [157,158]. Finally, self-expression behaviour was measured by six items and was adapted from [159] a 7-point Likert scale, 1 = totally disagree and 7 = totally agree.

In the last section of the survey respondents provided their demographic data (e.g., gender, age, nationality, and net monthly household income).

Attitude towards having a sustainable consumption was measured as a qualitative purpose, suggested by [157,160,161], ranging from bad, foolish, unpleasant, negative, unsatisfactory, unfavourable, and undesirable to good, wise, pleasant, positive, satisfactory, favourable, and desirable respectively, since a scale was not used, demonstrated below in

Table 1. Constructs for the research model.

Construct	Definition
Hedonism	Desire to increase pleasure/sensory pleasure, a subjective feeling when choosing a luxury service. (Adapted from [100,101,162,163,164])
Perceived value	Consumers overview on the utility of the luxury service based on perceptions of what is provided. (Adapted from [112,113,114,148,165])
High quality	Luxury service expectations with respect to their performance. A high-quality service must meet the customer’s needs. (Adapted from [58,116,117,166,167,168])
Status-gratification	The ability to reward yourself, namely in fulfilling desires, such as luxury services. (Adapted from [58,169,170,171,172])
Perceived Social Image	Mental perceptions of how others see themselves when purchasing a luxury service, namely the luxury hospitality industry. (Adapted from [150,173]
Self-expression	Self-expression is the degree to which participants express their self-concept or individuality when purchasing a luxury service. (Adapted from [124,125,174])
Attitude towards luxury services	Beliefs and evaluation that can lead the customer to purchase a luxury service. (Adapted from [150,169,175,176,177])
Purchase intention	The intention to perform a certain behaviour or the decision-making to purchase a luxury service. (Adapted from [128,129,132,178])
Sustainable Consumption Behaviour	Satisfy current needs while simultaneously benefiting or limiting environmental impact, in a luxury service. (Adapted from [91,92,94]).

.

4.2. Data and Sample Collections

The data were collected through an online questionnaire distributed to mainstream consumers, since the objective of the study is to understand the impact of sustainable consumption behaviour when purchasing a luxury service, to the luxury services consumers. The survey was spread through social media, one-to-one, email, and through Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk). MTurk is a crowdsourcing platform, a very common technique to engage participants for survey research [179], with the advantage of increasing the greatest number of cross-cultural responses and data worldwide. A total of 734 valid questionnaires were obtained and retained for further analysis.

5. Results

Existing studies have adopted a quantitative methodology to identify determinants for the adoption of sustainable luxury services, a quantitative study is more suitable for a study of monitoring, measuring, and validating results with larger samples [180], also providing larger insights into the importance of each determinant for assuming sustainable consumption behaviour when choosing a luxury service, including new variables. Hereupon, the research questions had a quantitative approach, using the of Partial Least Squares—Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) for data analysis, following the variables that were considered in the proposed conceptual model (see Figure 1).

A model from which it is intended to give an empirical answer to the research objective by identifying the determinants when choosing a luxury service, by adopting a sustainable consumption behaviour. An option that arises from previous empirical observation supported by the literature. This study aims to analyse sustainable consumption behaviour in the context of luxury services, and it is intended to analyse the growth trend of this phenomenon of sustainability. Thus, identifying the determinants and consequences of sustainability in the decision-maker when choosing a luxury service, namely hospitality. PLS-SEM was selected because this analysis tests a theoretical framework with a forecasting perspective, it is a complex structural model with many constructs and relationships. It is also because PLS-SEM is suitable for samples that do not follow a normal distribution [181,182]. Smart PLS 2.0 software was used to run PLS-SEM.

5.1. Reliability and Validity of the Measures

A total of 734 valid responses to the questionnaire were obtained, a number that, according to [183], reaches the minimum necessary to proceed with the PLS-SEM analysis. Some demographic questions were not fully answered but the respondents were not removed from the database as other relevant points in the questionnaire were fully reached.

Table 2. Profile of participants—personal aspects.

Sex	Frequency	%
Male	430	58.9
Female	300	41.1
Age	Frequency	%
15–25	83	11.3
25–35	378	51.6
35–45	173	23.6
45+	99	13.5
Income	Frequency	%
Until 2000	185	25.4
2000–5000	341	46.8
More than 5000	202	27.7
Country of origin	Frequency	%
Brazil	56	7.7
Canada	15	2.1
India	236	32.6
Italy	37	5.1
Portugal	33	4.6
Spain	11	1.5
UK	11	1.5
USA	282	39.0
Others	42	5.8

, below, illustrates the profile of respondents.

Considering Table 2, it appears that there was a reasonably balanced distribution regarding the gender of respondents (60M/40F). As for the age group, the fact that practically 75% are between 25 and 45 years old can be an indication of potential users of luxury services, since in this group the construction of a more stable financial life and with greater purchasing power is assumed for that type of service. Strictly speaking, this consideration seeks a relationship between age group and use of luxury services, which, in the data collection, was already somehow guaranteed by the first question of the questionnaire (Have you ever experienced a luxury service?). Those who were not luxury service users can complete the questionnaire until the end, but their data were excluded when analysing the responses. Another point that stands out in the table is that practically 75% of respondents had an income above 2000, which supports these people regarding the possibility of using luxury services. Finally, regarding the respondent’s country of origin, there is a greater concentration in India and the USA, but, in total, there was the participation of people from 38 different countries, which greatly enriched the scope of the research.

Following [184], the proposed theoretical model was initially evaluated regarding the loading of items (phrases) in each construct (cross-loading), composite reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity. This initial procedure allows for checking the reliability (the phrases are related to each other) and the validity (the phrases analyse the construct) of the collection instruments used.

Factor loadings are the correlation of each measured variable (indicator, assertion, or phrase) with the factor (or construct) related to it, indicating the degree of correspondence between the variables and the factor. Factor loadings are, therefore, the means of interpreting the role that each variable plays in factor definition, with larger loads making the variable more representative of the factor [183].

However, a phrase can be linked to two different factors. Therefore, it is necessary to cross-loading analysis, which indicates whether each variable is associated with only a single factor or if it has factor loadings relevant to more than one factor or to a different factor than expected when building the model [183,185]. This analysis has both a qualitative character (alignment of each variable to its respective factor) and a quantitative one (value of the factor loading of a variable in each factor). During the analysis, the phrases in the questionnaire that did not show minimum acceptable adherence to the model adjustments (factor loading <0.7) were removed. As shown, below in

Table 3. Cross-loadings of indicators into constructs.

	Hedonism	High Quality	Perceived Social Image	Perceived Value	Purchase Intention	Sustainable Consumption Behaviour	Self-Expression	Status-Gratification
Hedon07	0.713	0.192	0.512	0.364	0.456	0.488	0.521	0.460
Hedon10	0.705	0.303	0.552	0.439	0.409	0.449	0.516	0.465
Hedon15	0.788	0.166	0.559	0.376	0.437	0.490	0.616	0.572
Hedon17	0.786	0.276	0.545	0.468	0.449	0.552	0.608	0.552
Hedon18	0.769	0.317	0.603	0.493	0.448	0.533	0.610	0.588
Hedon19	0.770	0.285	0.508	0.432	0.459	0.508	0.488	0.490
Hedon20	0.746	0.296	0.492	0.426	0.466	0.467	0.494	0.420
Hedon21	0.721	0.370	0.555	0.514	0.429	0.495	0.530	0.478
PSI01	0.476	0.566	0.741	0.597	0.500	0.526	0.472	0.461
PSI02	0.528	0.462	0.803	0.536	0.507	0.499	0.493	0.518
PSI03	0.555	0.437	0.820	0.537	0.494	0.536	0.558	0.536
PSI04	0.604	0.327	0.807	0.537	0.559	0.602	0.696	0.646
PSI05	0.668	0.247	0.789	0.495	0.541	0.636	0.778	0.716
PerVal01	0.363	0.666	0.480	0.751	0.373	0.429	0.320	0.327
PerVal02	0.602	0.401	0.632	0.706	0.434	0.530	0.642	0.679
PerVal04	0.468	0.594	0.553	0.857	0.508	0.521	0.476	0.448
PerVal05	0.394	0.656	0.482	0.800	0.440	0.444	0.367	0.361
PerVal06	0.463	0.606	0.521	0.839	0.485	0.504	0.438	0.424
PurInt01	0.557	0.298	0.601	0.456	0.811	0.696	0.611	0.505
PurInt02	0.523	0.374	0.575	0.501	0.883	0.673	0.532	0.431
PurInt03	0.474	0.381	0.540	0.506	0.879	0.632	0.512	0.410
PurInt04	0.471	0.375	0.541	0.495	0.862	0.618	0.465	0.389
Quality01	0.289	0.872	0.440	0.635	0.340	0.359	0.262	0.295
Quality02	0.321	0.875	0.421	0.638	0.343	0.408	0.290	0.319
Quality03	0.350	0.878	0.460	0.645	0.402	0.419	0.322	0.351
SCB01	0.518	0.402	0.586	0.528	0.623	0.831	0.624	0.510
SCB02	0.537	0.428	0.588	0.556	0.644	0.858	0.591	0.497
SCB03	0.584	0.340	0.592	0.463	0.628	0.798	0.613	0.542
SCB04	0.550	0.323	0.577	0.486	0.619	0.802	0.660	0.512
SE01	0.599	0.433	0.646	0.589	0.531	0.652	0.752	0.588
SE02	0.605	0.278	0.664	0.490	0.477	0.616	0.856	0.723
SE03	0.656	0.288	0.679	0.502	0.564	0.679	0.895	0.726
SE04	0.654	0.257	0.665	0.481	0.550	0.658	0.902	0.715
SE05	0.615	0.203	0.625	0.411	0.487	0.594	0.852	0.689
SE06	0.629	0.253	0.670	0.485	0.567	0.675	0.876	0.710
Status-G01	0.598	0.366	0.672	0.532	0.465	0.548	0.702	0.877
Status-G02	0.628	0.335	0.660	0.522	0.458	0.569	0.742	0.916
Status-G03	0.592	0.301	0.656	0.508	0.461	0.575	0.732	0.912
Status-G04	0.600	0.325	0.656	0.508	0.439	0.557	0.727	0.885

, loads of the remaining items are above the value of 0.7, as recommended by [181]. In this analysis, in addition to verifying the factorial validity of the constructs, there is an early indication of their discriminant validity [186].

After the cross-loading analyses, the composite reliability and convergent validity were evaluated. Reliability indicates that the phrases in the questionnaire are related to each other. Convergent validity means that these same phrases are measuring the corresponding construct and no others.

Table 4. Summarizes the convergent validity (AVE) and composite reliability (CR) metrics for the scales.

	AVE	Composite Reliability
Hedonism	0.563	0.911
High Quality	0.765	0.907
Perceived Social Image	0.628	0.894
Perceived Value	0.628	0.894
Purchase Intention	0.739	0.919
Sustainable Consumption Behaviour	0.677	0.893
Self-expression	0.734	0.943
Status-gratification	0.806	0.943

below summarizes the convergent validity (AVE) and composite reliability (CR) metrics for the scales. According to the guidelines proposed by [187], the scales used in this study presented parameters considered appropriate for both measures (AVE > 0.5; CR > 0.7).

Finally, to verify the discriminant validity of the scales, the procedure recommended by [188] was followed, comparing the square root of the average variance extracted (AVE) of each construct with the Pearson correlation verified between the constructs. If there is discriminant validity, the correlations would have values smaller than the square root of the AVE of the scales. As can be seen below in

Table 5. Discriminant validity.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
1. Hedonism	0.750
2. High Quality	0.368	0.875
3. Perceived Social Image	0.721	0.503	0.793
4. Perceived Value	0.586	0.731	0.680	0.793
5. Purchase Intention	0.592	0.415	0.659	0.570	0.859
6. Sustainable Consumption Behaviour	0.665	0.454	0.712	0.618	0.765	0.823
7. Self-expression	0.732	0.334	0.770	0.577	0.620	0.756	0.857
8. Status-gratification	0.673	0.369	0.736	0.576	0.508	0.626	0.809	0.898

, the correlations between the constructs were below the square root of the AVE of each construct, indicating the existence of discriminant validity in the scales used. At the end of this stage, all parameters (composite reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity) obtained satisfactory indices.

Finally, in a study such as this, using a self-reported questionnaire, where the same data sources and research context were used to measure different constructs, there may be the occurrence of systematic error, the so-called Common Method Bias (CMV), generator of the variance of the common method, causing spurious values for the studied relationships [189,190,191]. To reduce any common method variance problem and ensure data efficiency, Harman’s single factor test was performed, first testing whether an unrotated single factor solution arises from the exploratory factor analysis test, and secondly testing whether a general factor accounts for most of the variance between items. The results show that the unrotated factor solution revealed five factors with an eigenvalue greater than 1. The greatest variance explained by a general factor was 46.015%, indicating that no single factor was responsible for more than 50% of the variance between items. This suggests that common method bias was not a verified problem and therefore the sample data can be accepted as valid [189,190,191].

5.2. Hypothesis Testing

After the analyses that proved that the scales used were valid and reliable, the theoretical model was analysed, following the statistical analysis of the relationships between the constructs involved in it, which shows the result of the structural equation model generated by the SmartPLS software.

Table 6. Structural model—path coefficients and respective statistical significance.

Paths	Paths Coefficients	Standard Error	T Value
Hedonism—Sustainable Consumption Behaviour	0.135	0.045	3.022
High Quality—Sustainable Consumption Behaviour	0.105	0.043	2.427
Perceived Social Image—Sustainable Consumption Behaviour	0.170	0.058	2.935
Perceived Value—Sustainable Consumption Behaviour	0.113	0.056	2.004
Sustainable Consumption Behaviour—Purchase intention	0.765	0.023	33.720
Self-expression—Sustainable Consumption Behaviour	0.515	0.059	8.731
Status-gratification—Sustainable Consumption Behaviour	-0.109	0.056	1.956

shows the results of the structural model with the estimated path coefficients and the associated t values of each path, indicating that all of them are significant (t > 1.96), with 95% confidence, with the status-gratification → sustainable consumption behaviour relation within the limit of this significance (t = 1.956). The model accounts for 64.9% of the variance of sustainable consumption behaviour (R2 = 0.649) and 58.5% of purchase intention (R2 = 0.585), indicating the model’s ability to explain the relationships between the constructs. Thus, hypotheses H1, H2, H3, H5, H6, and H7 were supported, with the hypothesis H4 at the limit of significance and, oddly, with an inverted (negative) sign since a positive relationship was expected between status -gratification and sustainable consumption behaviour. Please see below in Table 6.

Such results led to speculation about the potential existence of multicollinearity be-tween the antecedent variables of sustainable consumption behaviour. The phenomenon of multicollinearity occurs due to the high correlation between independent variables, so that their relationships with the dependent variable can be compromised, without being able to safely establish such relationships, as happened with status-gratification → sustainable consumption behaviour.

Table 7. Variance inflation factor. (*) antecedent variables of sustainable consumption behaviour.

Antecedent Variables (*)	VIF
Hedonism	2.575
High Quality	2.257
Perceived Social Image	3.546
Perceived Value	3.234
Self-expression	3.998
Status-gratification	3.241

(*) Variables antecents of Sustainable Consumption Behaviour.

below shows the VIF values, with some of them above the conservative limit of 3.

The analysis of correlations (see

Table 8. Correlation coefficients. ** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).

	1	2	3	4	5	6
1. Hedonism	1
2. High Quality	0.368 **	1
3. Perceived Social Image	0.721 **	0.503 **	1
4. Perceived Value	0.586 **	0.731 **	0.680 **	1
5. Self-expression	0.732 **	0.334 **	0.770 **	0.577 **	1
6. Status-gratification	0.673 **	0.369 **	0.736 **	0.576 **	0.808 **	1

, below) between the same variables indicated high and significant values, but only the pair self-expression and status-gratification was above 0.8, implying that these two variables would be the most problematic, owing one of them be eliminated.

To verify which of the two variables brought a greater contribution to the model, two alternatives were tested: (1) model with self-expression and without status-gratification and (2) model without self-expression and with status-gratification. In both, the explanatory power of purchase intention was the same (R2 = 0.585) and similar to the original model that contained the two variables. For the case of sustainable consumption behaviour, however, model 1, with self-expression and without status-gratification, showed greater explanatory power (R2 = 0.645) and proximity of the original model with the two variables, than model 2, without self-expression and with status-gratification, which had an R2 equal to 0.582. Thus, it was demonstrated that the best variable to be eliminated to avoid the phenomenon of multicollinearity is status-gratification, resulting in the model.

Concerning the hypotheses, Hypothesis 4 (status-gratification → sustainable consumption behaviour) was disregarded by the elimination of status-gratification and a new framework of relationships was established, as can be seen below in

Table 9. Structural model without status-gratification—path coefficients and respective statistical significance.

Paths	Path Coefficients	Standard Error	t Value
Hedonism—Sustainable Consumption Behaviour	0.126	0.046	2.760
High Quality—Sustainable Consumption Behaviour	0.105	0.041	2.536
Perceived Social Image—Sustainable Consumption Behaviour	0.147	0.054	2.732
Perceveid Value—Sustainable Consumption Behaviour	0.105	0.059	1.791
Sustainable Consumption Behaviour—Purchase Intention	0.765	0.023	32.966
Self-expression—Sustainable Consumption Behaviour	0.455	0.051	8.968

. In this new scenario, the hypotheses H1, H3, H5, H6, and H7 were supported, and the hypothesis H2 was rejected.

The statistical robustness of the test performed was verified using the G*Power^® 3.1.9.2 software, obtaining as a result a power value greater than 0.99 (post-hoc test) and effect sizes (f2) greater than 0.35, considering large effect sizes, from hedonism, high quality, perceived social image, perceived value, and self-expression to sustainable consumption behaviour, as well as from sustainable consumption behaviour to purchase intention.

Finally, considering the structure of the proposed model, the possibility of sustainable consumption behaviour acting as a mediating variable in the relationship of hedonism, high quality, perceived social image, perceived value, and self-expression, with purchase intention was speculated.

The analyses showed the existence of direct and significant paths from hedonism, perceived social image, perceived value, and self-expression to purchase intention in the absence of the mediator variable sustainable consumption behaviour, as shown in Table 10. The direct relationship between high quality and purchase intention did not prove to be significant.

When analysing the effects of hedonism, high quality, perceived social image, perceived value and self-expression on purchase intention through sustainable consumption behaviour (indirect effects), it is noticed the existence of a mediating effect of this variable on the direct paths previously verified, either due to loss of significance or loss of intensity and consequent influence of indirect (mediated) paths. The paths between hedonism, high quality, perceived social image, perceived value and self-expression with sustainable consumption behaviour and then with purchase intention were all significant, the first condition for the mediating effect. The significance of indirect paths was verified by the Sobel test, which shows such significance with 95% confidence when the test value is greater than 1.96. The questioning that is often asked of the Sobel test for being based on the standard normal distribution (z scores) was offset by the sample size used [185,192,193]. Please see Table 10, below.

Table 10. Path coefficients—sustainable consumption behaviour mediation action.

Paths	without Meditation			with Meditation
	Direct	T Value	Direct	T Value	Indirect	Sobel
Hedonism—Purchase Intention	0.140	2.359	0.065	1.266	0.073	2.737
High Quality—Purchase Intention	0.042	0.771	−0.014	0.300	0.060	2.372
Perceived Social Image—Purchase Intention	0.272	3.289	0.190	2.628	0.085	2.638
Perceveid Value—Purchase Intention	0.156	2.347	0.088	1.573	0.063	1.876
Self-expression—Purchase Intention	0.209	3.087	−0.060	0.906	0.266	7.260

Table 10. Path coefficients—sustainable consumption behaviour mediation action.

Paths	without Meditation			with Meditation
	Direct	T Value	Direct	T Value	Indirect	Sobel
Hedonism—Purchase Intention	0.140	2.359	0.065	1.266	0.073	2.737
High Quality—Purchase Intention	0.042	0.771	−0.014	0.300	0.060	2.372
Perceived Social Image—Purchase Intention	0.272	3.289	0.190	2.628	0.085	2.638
Perceveid Value—Purchase Intention	0.156	2.347	0.088	1.573	0.063	1.876
Self-expression—Purchase Intention	0.209	3.087	−0.060	0.906	0.266	7.260

Thus, it follows that: (a) the direct and significant path between hedonism and purchase intention in the absence of the mediator becomes non-significant in the presence of sustainable consumption behaviour, offering this variable a significant indirect path; (b) the direct and non-significant path between high quality and purchase intention in the absence of the mediator, does not change in the presence of sustainable consumption behaviour, however offering an indirect and significant path; (c) the direct and significant path between perceived social image and purchase intention in the absence of the mediator remains significant in the presence of sustainable consumption behaviour, but with less intensity and with the existence of an indirect path, this one also significant, which could be called partial mediation, despite the fact that such expression does not inform which portion of the effect is exerted via mediation [194]; (d) the direct and significant path between perceived value and purchase intention in the absence of the mediator becomes non-significant in the presence of sustainable consumption behaviour, but there is no significant indirect path through the variable; and, finally, the direct and significant path between self-expression and purchase intention in the absence of the mediator becomes non-significant in the presence of sustainable consumption behaviour, offering this variable a significant indirect path. In terms of explanatory power concerning purchase intention, the direct model, without mediating variable, presents an R2 of 0.497, while the model with the mediating variable moves this indicator to 0.616, indicating the best explanation of the model with mediation.

Considering all the results obtained, it is concluded that sustainable consumption behaviour plays a mediating role of hedonism, high quality, perceived social image, and self-expression for purchase intention, the same not occurring when considering the relationship between perceived value and purchase intention.

This situation can be corroborated by qualitative questions that were presented to respondents about aspects related to ecologically responsible luxury services and whose answers are shown below, in

Table 11. Questions related to ecologically responsible luxury services.

Question	Yes		No
	Frequency	%	Frequency	%
1. Usually, you choose a luxury service with environmentally friendly clothing, labelling, products or packaging techniques	595	81.7	133	18.3
2. Usually, you choose a luxury service for having clothes made from organically grown natural fibers or recycled materials	533	72.9	198	27.1
3. I would recommend this service to friends or relatives	697	95.5	33	4.5
4. This service was more than a service for me	618	84.5	113	15.5
5. This service was special to me	657	90.2	71	9.8

.

As can be seen in Table 11, questions involving ecologically sustainable luxury services always received favourable opinions from respondents as the question addressed the parameters for choosing the service sought (usually, you choose a luxury service with environmentally friendly clothing, labelling, products, or packaging techniques/usually, you choose a luxury service to have clothes made from organically grown natural fibres or recycled materials), with a clear identity of the service proposal with the significance it has for the respondent (I would recommend this service to friends or relatives/this service was more than a service for me/this service was special to me).

Finally, the respondents were asked questions related to their attitude towards sustainable consumption behaviour, whose answers are shown below in

Table 12. Answers to the question: For me, choosing a sustainable consumption behaviour is ….

Alternatives	Frequency	%
Bad	17	3.0
Good	546	97.0
Foolish	29	11.4
Wise	225	88.6
Unpleasant	13	4.5
Pleasant	276	95.5
Negative	16	3.8
Positive	410	96.2
Unsatisfactory	13	4.2
Satisfactory	296	98.8
Unfavourable	10	3.2
Favourable	306	96.8
Undesirable	13	5.3
Desirable	230	94.7

.

Corroborating the data in Table 11 and Table 12 shows responses that adhere to the idea of sustainable consumption behaviour, even when there is no specification of this behaviour aimed at luxury services. Thus, most respondents consider sustainable consumption behaviour as good, wise, pleasant, positive, satisfactory, favourable, and desirable, reinforcing the idea of applying this same behaviour to the sustainable consumption of luxury services.

6. Discussion

This study examined the relationship between luxury services, hedonism, perceived value, high quality, status-gratification, perceived social image and self-expression, considering sustainable consumption behaviour, which may influence and lead to purchase intention. The literature review revealed that these links are not widely investigated, but that they may be important in understanding the reasons why consumers buy and choose luxury services. This study contributes to the literature on sustainable luxury services and purchase intention, since the purchase intention motivations of luxury brands are related to consumer characteristics; that is, demographic, cultural, social, and economic factors [29,58,195]. It enriches the literature by investigating the relationship between sustainability and luxury, since the ideals, theories, and goals of society are constantly changing around the world, and people are increasingly concerned about the environment and the social effect of the intention to purchase luxury services [45]. Based on our study, we can state that, according to [36], values of altruism, restraint, and moderation inherent to sustainability, based on ethics, contrast with hedonism, aestheticism, rarity, richness, superfluousness, and its social narrative immoral history.

In addition to the literature the context of luxury services, and the indirect effect of luxury brand value on purchase intent, which according to [46,196], the luxury market is growing. According to many authors, [10,65,66,67,68], in the tourism industry, sustainability represents the main driver of success, and it is the third largest market share in the universal luxury industry [70,71]. Moreover, we supplemented the literature on the exploration of the luxury hospitality industry, using sustainability as a mediator in purchase intention, since in the hospitality industry, sustainability has been a major focus, as they are considered practices related to sustainability by customers [5]. Furthermore, it was studied which customers consider sustainable activities in hotels [9]. Recently, the pro-environmental behaviour of hospitality has shown concern in the decision to choose a sustainable hotel instead of a less sustainable one [10] and customers have shown great impact in choosing sustainable hotels [11,12,13,14,15,70,71] which can be justified above. Based on our study, it was found that hedonism, perceived value, high quality, perceived social image and self-expression related to sustainable consumption behaviour positively affect purchase intention, in contrast to status-gratification. It is worth mentioning that all determinants influence purchase intention in a positive way, with the exception of status-gratification. Therefore, sustainable consumption behaviour plays a mediating role in hedonism, high quality, perceived social image and self-expression for purchase intention, the same not happening when considering the relationship between perceived value and purchase intention.

First, the paths between hedonism, high quality, perceived social image, perceived value and self-expression with sustainable consumption behaviour and then with purchase intention were all significant, they were the first condition for the mediating effect. We can verify that hedonism is supported by the conclusions of [70,71], that suggest that hedonism influences consumers’ emotions and purchase intention, and reproduces emotional values, which we can confirm a predominance of the empirical consumption of luxury services considers pleasure and playfulness one of the main benefits [98,101]. Thus, the direct and significant path between hedonism and purchase intention in the absence of the mediator becomes non-significant in the presence of sustainable consumption behaviour, offering this variable a significant indirect path; considering all the results obtained, sustainable consumption behaviour plays, in addition to hedonism, a mediating role in high quality, which according to some studies is based on the interaction between customer and employee [167], and other attributes, such as hygiene, price, safety, and friendliness of the staff [118]. Concerning perceived social image and self-expression for purchase intention, the same does not occur when considering the relationship between perceived value and purchase intention, which can be corroborated by qualitative questions that were presented to respondents about aspects related to ecologically responsible luxury services. It was confirmed that luxury services involve important psychosocial processes, such as self-presentation, emotional responses to moral violations, meta-stereotypes, and the control of deviations in social groups [122], and are linked to an idealized life, need for extras, and social image of unnecessarily luxurious items or intimate exceptions of self-indulgence [38]. Moreover, we realized that self-expression, perceived social image and hedonism are the greatest predictors of the constructs and, therefore, the ones with the greatest indirect influence on purchase intention, taking into consideration the sustainable consumption behaviour. Excluding mediation, we can verify that the determinants of self-expression, perceived social image and perceived value are the biggest predictors, this means they are the major influencers in the consumer’s decision to choose a luxury service, that is, purchase intention directly. This means that hedonism, high quality, perceived social image, perceived value and self-expression can act as decision-makers for sustainable consumption behaviour. However, respondents reported positive perceptions of sustainable services, intending to purchase luxury services, planning, willing and intending to have a sustainable behaviour when choosing a luxury service. Furthermore, we can highlight that self-expression is the most significant determinant, in the presence of sustainable consumption behaviour compared to all others, which may be associated with a demonstration of individuality through the use of luxury services. This means, how people wilfully see their spirit and true character of who the person really is, related to hedonic consumption, which makes people enjoy activities that demonstrate their status, knowledge, preferences, superior position, and social image [125], as a decisive factor for consumers to purchase intention, considering the sustainable consumption behaviour. Hereupon, the WOM effect should be a booster to stimulate consumer decision-making, maintaining personal high confidence. These results may be related to [150], who state that the social dimension of luxury is related to the recognition that the individual obtains, in social groups, as conspicuous and prestigious. According to [29,58,195], luxury is associated with dreams and encompasses motivations, such as rarity, timelessness, personal rewards, and hedonism; moreover, the dimension comprises seduction and is associated with social status, lifestyle, and higher social position and approval by society. The status-gratification directly to the mediator we realized that contrary to what was stated by [76], status consumption is not fundamental in luxury hospitality, despite the differences between luxury hospitality services and luxury goods, hence it was eliminated, the determinant status-gratification, and this determinant, came to be disregarded by the elimination of the status bonus.

Second, the findings of this study suggest that environmental knowledge for sustainable consumption has a direct influence on purchase intent, which refer to all precedence of product portfolios for consumers when they are in the decision-making process [128]. Based on this knowledge, and according to the study, green purchasing intentions have a positive effect on green purchasing behaviours [132]. This result can demonstrate that consumers are informed and aware, but that there are still consumers who are not so aware of this, which can lead to an obstacle in creating a positive intention towards sustainable consumption and responses may arise from ignorance of environmental impacts, since status-gratification was eliminated due to diffuse agreement with the items. Then according to [74,75], it must be considered the importance of sustainable consumption behaviour and adopting environmentally sustainable practices. It was found that high quality has the least impact on sustainable consumption behaviour and, consequently, on purchase intention, which means that people are not so concerned about the quality of services, contrary to what was studied by [39,58,73] who claimed it to be important.

Finally, considering all the results obtained, it is concluded that sustainable consumption behaviour plays a mediating role of hedonism, high quality, perceived social image, and self-expression for purchase intention, the same not occurring when considering the relationship between perceived value and purchase intention. This situation can be supported by qualitative questions that were presented to respondents about aspects related to ecologically responsible luxury services.

7. Conclusions

Considering customer’s perceptions is always essential for proper decision-making and purchase intention. Specifically, in the context of luxury services, where customer impressions are a determining element in attracting consumers and marketing strategies that lead them to buy. Luxury, according to [38], is linked to an idealized life, extra needs and social image with unnecessarily luxurious items or intimate exceptions of self-indulgence, and associated with personal and experimental pleasures, while sustainable consumption is related to modesty and ethic [40]. Therefore, marketers consider this information when creating consumer segments and strategies. Studies of luxury products or services are not new in the specialized literature; therefore, this study contributes to the existing literature on luxury services, sustainable consumption behaviour and expands the influence on the intention to purchase sustainable luxury services.

However, several studies were carried out in different contexts without a clear consensus on the concept of luxury [37], although characteristics, such as high price and premium quality, are common variables within the current concept of luxury brands [197,198]. In addition to luxury, several authors, such as [30], do not have a concrete definition of sustainability, only that luxury values are associated with personal and experimental pleasures, while sustainable consumption is related to modesty and ethics [40]. Some authors suggest that the relationship between luxury brands and sustainability [39] gives rise to variables closer to consumer decision-making, leading to their purchase. Thus, understanding how consumers’ minds operate in a highly competitive market is critical since consumer perceptions influence behavioural intent towards luxury services. Therefore, in the existing literature, this work develops a conceptualized model for the intention to purchase a luxury service from the consumer’s perception of sustainability; the results of this work contribute to the current body of knowledge in several ways. Thus, one of the strengths of this work is the contribution of knowledge concerning the relationship of these variables in the new context of luxury services.

The most important finding is the relationship between the value of the variables and sustainability, which shows that the value of sustainability positively increases the intention to purchase luxury services, in line with the results [41]. Although the effect of this relationship is not new, it is an interesting contribution to a model with variables, such as hedonism, perceived value, high quality, status-gratification, perceived social image, self-expression, and customer attitude in a new context. Therefore, and following the considerations of [122,125] people enjoy luxury services that demonstrate their status, knowledge, preferences, superior position, and social image, which are the main antecedents of the intention to purchase.

As a matter of fact, the results suggest that both self-expression and perceived social image significantly influence the consumer’s purchase intention, in line with the findings obtained by [199], in which the social needs of consumers impact the buying and choosing of luxury services as an extension of your social identity or social traits. These dimensions had a similar predictive load. However, it is confirmed that social characteristics, depending on social identity and based on sustainable behaviour, positively and significantly influence purchase intention. In this sense, the importance of the brand in the development of the customer identity is evident, as well as the ability to generate effective bonds with consumers [39]. It is also important to highlight that sustainable consumption behaviour is a strong moderator of all determinants, with a very similar and very significant predictive load, among them, as occurs between these two dimensions in terms of purchase intention.

The luxury service industry is constantly facing new challenges. The current study takes along some important contributions and managerial implications, which can be adopted by luxury service managers, in order to increase their competitiveness in attracting new customers and carry out strategies focused on social and environmental aspects.

First, our results show that it is important to consider sustainable consumption and highlight the compatibility between luxury and environmental sustainability practices in the context of luxury services. Some of the practices can be adopted at an environmental level, aiming to reduce energy and water consumption, in order to obtain better economic results. In the case of energy, actions include measuring the carbon footprint and implementing corrective measures that encourage the use of renewable energy. Associated with sustainability, we must consider another resource that is increasingly scarce: water, for which control measures, such as flow meters, can be implemented. Along with these complex actions, there are other important measures, such as the recycling of paper, plastic, or glass, toners, the use of recycling baskets, energy-efficient showers, and refillable hygiene product dispensers. Therefore, companies must incorporate environmental concerns and responsibilities into their core values and communicate their green efforts consistently and coherently with the company’s overall strategies and actions. This study shows managers that the adoption of environmental practices can be considered an investment and not a cost. Including these practices, the level of customer satisfaction is high, and the company’s image increases notoriety. Thus, consumers trust companies’ ecological efforts and strategies, communicating them in a clear and honest way, incorporating this concern and environmental responsibility into the core values and identity of the brand.

Second, in the luxury segment, most customers want to be associated with people from the same socioeconomic class. In this way, the company uses luxury services, emphasizing exclusivity so that its customers can enjoy, value, and use the WOM by sharing their experiences in their social group. For example, a luxury hotel is a symbol of a luxury vacation or can be associated with a certain region. Furthermore, the WOM effect must also be strengthened to stimulate consumer decision-making, maintaining good levels of confidence. They will be willing to advertise the service and, consequently, enjoy more services from that brand, by attending to specific customer needs.

Third, in this technological era, managers must be aware and follow social networks, such as social media, where they can share, communicate, and implement new marketing strategies. For example, using influencers who share their experiences, and influence potential consumers, which take into consideration the image and social status.

Finally, luxury service managers must develop sustainable practices and adjust new strategies by satisfying and meeting the consumers specific needs. This study shows that the aforementioned factors are the key to luxury service competitiveness, positive results, and new potential customers.

8. Limitations and Future Research

Although this study adds knowledge to the literature, its limitations should be noted, which should be improved in future studies.

Based on the nature of this study, the data collected through self-administered questionnaires are limited to the respondent’s ability to correctly read and interpret each item, as well as the free will to carry out or not to the end, hence some of the answers have not been answered by all participants.

This research is restricted to the consumption of sustainable luxury services. Future research may investigate the impact of barriers to sustainable consumption of services in relation to purchasing intentions. Future research can use and compare different effects of barriers, that is, use other items that can change the consumer’s purchase decision and choice, giving a special focus to sustainable behaviour, also delimiting whether our predictive model offers different results for different behaviours.

Another crucial limitation was related to the selection of barriers and variables to be included in this model created by the authors. Future studies may add other variables regarding sustainable luxury services to explore how they influence purchase intent.

Since this study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, it may be interesting to understand whether the barriers that impact individual perceptions of sustainable luxury services have changed significantly over this specific period or whether there has been no significant difference.