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Sustainable Digital Marketing Policy and Studies of Consumer Behavior

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 April 2026) | Viewed by 22834

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Joana Carmo Dias

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Guest Editor

1. Research Center for Organizations, Markets and Industrial Management (COMEGI), Universidade Lusíada, 1349-001 Lisbon, Portugal
2. Instituto Politécnico de Administração de Marketing (IPAM), Porto, Portugal
Interests: retail; branding; consumer behavior; digital marketing; sustainability
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Albérico Travassos Rosário

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Guest Editor

The Research Unit on Governance, Competitiveness and Public Policies (GOVCOPP), Universidade Europeia, 1200-649 Lisbon, Portugal
Interests: sustainability; data science; digital transformation; competitive strategy; competitive dynamics; strategic groups; marketing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to delve into the intersection of sustainable digital marketing policies and consumer behavior, comprehensively exploring how these two domains converge to shape modern marketing practices. The primary focus will be on investigating how digital marketing strategies can influence consumer perceptions, preferences, and decision-making processes when aligned with sustainability objectives. By examining the role of policy in fostering these practices, the issue seeks to illuminate pathways for creating more responsible and sustainable marketing environments.

The scope of this issue will encompass emerging trends such as the use of eco-friendly digital platforms and transparent brand communication strategies. It will explore the effectiveness of these approaches in promoting sustainable consumption patterns and their potential to shift consumer behavior towards more environmentally friendly choices. Furthermore, this issue will highlight the role of digital innovation in shaping sustainable marketing practices, including integrating artificial intelligence, data analytics, and social media in promoting sustainability.

Although existing literature has extensively analyzed the effectiveness of digital marketing and the growing consumer preference for sustainability, there is a notable gap in understanding how policy frameworks can synergize these areas. This Special Issue aims to bridge this gap by focusing on the policies that guide sustainable practices within digital marketing and their direct influence on consumer behavior. It will provide new insights into how marketing strategies oriented towards sustainability can drive meaningful behavioral changes, complementing existing studies on green marketing and ethical consumerism.

By aligning with the broader discourse on sustainability, this issue will offer valuable contributions to scholars and practitioners. It will support those seeking to understand how digital marketing can become a tool for fostering responsible consumption and advancing sustainability goals. Ultimately, this Special Issue will serve as a pivotal resource for anyone interested in the role of digital marketing in shaping a more sustainable future.

Dr. Joana Carmo Dias
Dr. Albérico Travassos Rosário
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

sustainable digital marketing
consumer behavior
eco-friendly digital platforms
sustainability-oriented marketing
digital marketing policy
artificial intelligence
ethical consumerism
sustainable consumption patterns

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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32 pages, 1389 KB

Open AccessArticle

Between Commitment and Practice—Sustainability Attitudes and Behaviors in Spain—A Mixed-Methods Study

by Marc Compte-Pujol, Joan-Francesc Fondevila-Gascón, Pedro Mir-Bernal and Jesús Cabero-Fuertes

Sustainability 2026, 18(9), 4390; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18094390 - 30 Apr 2026

Viewed by 214

Abstract

This sequential mixed-methods study examines when sustainability becomes a meaningful criterion in everyday consumption versus a widely endorsed discourse enacted selectively in Spain. Informed by research on the attitude–behavior gap in sustainable consumption, including work using TPB- and norm-based perspectives, the study explores how feasibility constraints and credibility concerns shape the translation of sustainability commitment into practice in a non-student adult sample. It addresses a recurring pattern in sustainable consumption research: strong normative endorsement often coexists with partial behavioral uptake, particularly when feasibility constraints (cost, convenience, perceived impact) and credibility concerns (skepticism/greenwashing perceptions) intervene. A focus group (n = 9) explored how participants define sustainability, justify conditional enactment, and interpret sustainability communication; these insights informed and refined an online survey (N = 317) capturing awareness, conceptual knowledge, concern, self-perceived behavior, practice adoption, willingness to change, and perceptions of sustainability as marketing/politics. Self-reported awareness was high (83.91%) and mean concern was 7.40/10, whereas mean self-assessed sustainable behavior was lower (6.20/10), indicating a commitment–practice gap. Most respondents reported at least one sustainable practice (98.42%) and expressed willingness to change habits (96.21%), yet intentions appeared stronger than current uptake for higher-effort changes. Associations between attitudinal endorsement and enactment were modest to moderate: concern was positively related to self-assessed sustainable behavior (Spearman’s ρ = 0.445) and to reported practice adoption (practice count; ρ ≈ 0.34), while self-assessed behavior was moderately related to practice adoption (ρ ≈ 0.48). Qualitative findings emphasized feasibility trade-offs and credibility discounting of sustainability claims. By combining interpretive evidence with survey patterns, the study shows that sustainability is widely endorsed in this sample but enacted unevenly, with feasibility and credibility helping to explain why commitment does not consistently translate into practice in the Spanish context. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Digital Marketing Policy and Studies of Consumer Behavior)

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31 pages, 1570 KB

Open AccessArticle

The Halo Effect as a Factor Influencing Consumer Trust in Innovative Technological Solutions

by Jakub Kraciuk, Elżbieta Małgorzata Kacperska and Marcin Idzik

Sustainability 2026, 18(6), 2984; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18062984 - 18 Mar 2026

Viewed by 1040

Abstract

Present-day artificial intelligence systems (AI), virtual assistants, and devices connected to the Internet of Things (IoT) are playing an increasingly important role in decision-making processes in the everyday lives of individuals and daily operations of organizations. In this respect, the users’ trust is a key factor determining their acceptance and effective use. In contemporary digital ecosystems, this trust increasingly becomes a component of sustainable digital marketing, in which transparent data practices and responsible communication shape long-term consumer–technology relationships. This paper analyzes the halo effect as a psychological mechanism affecting the perception of competences, reliability, and ethics in the case of technologies based on AI. Based on the literature on behavioral economics, it was shown how positive associations with the interface, brand, or previous experience of the user may lead to excessive trust in technology. Such mechanisms also play a significant role in shaping sustainable consumption patterns, as users—guided by cognitive shortcuts—can adopt technologies in ways that either strengthen or weaken responsible digital behaviors. Moreover, the potential risks associated with this phenomenon were also indicated. The aim of this paper was to present how the utilization of the halo effect influences the generation of trust in smart systems and the formulation of implication for management practices and technology design. These implications are increasingly important in the context of sustainable digital marketing policy, where organizations must align persuasive communication with ethical standards and with rising expectations regarding sustainable digital transformation. Relationships between variables were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM), making it possible to verify complex dependencies between the perceived image of technology, the halo effect, and the users’ trust. This study tested three core hypotheses regarding the halo effect’s role, the foundational importance of security, and the mediating function of trust in technology adoption. The results of these analyses indicate that the halo effect significantly affects the level of trust in each of the investigated areas, with the strongest effect observed in the case of virtual assistants, where perception of the human-like characteristics of the interface considerably strengthened trust in the competences and reliability of the system. This finding has particular relevance for AI-driven personalization mechanisms, which increasingly guide consumer decision-making and shape their long-term behavioral patterns in online environments, with direct implications for sustainable consumption. This paper provides contribution to innovation management and technical marketing, stressing the importance of cognitive and emotional factors in the acceptance of new technologies. At the same time, it highlights the theoretical need to integrate responsible AI design with sustainable digital marketing strategies The findings suggest that ensuring trust, once established, has the potential to support not only technological innovation but broader societal goals related to responsible consumption, environmental stewardship, and long-term digital well-being aligned with sustainable development principles. However, this study stops short of empirically measuring sustainable consumption behaviors, offering instead a conceptual link that requires further empirical validation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Digital Marketing Policy and Studies of Consumer Behavior)

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15 pages, 436 KB

Open AccessArticle

Artificial Intelligence in Sustainable Marketing: How AI Personalization Impacts Consumer Purchase Decisions

by Enas Alsaffarini and Bahaa Subhi Awwad

Sustainability 2026, 18(2), 1123; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18021123 - 22 Jan 2026

Viewed by 4656

Abstract

The study explores how consumer buying behavior is influenced by artificial intelligence (AI) personalization, with a specific focus on responsible and sustainability-aligned digital marketing. Using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, the study analyzes a quantitative survey and qualitative interviews. Results show that purchase behavior is strongly affected by exposure to AI messages—especially when recommendations are relevant, timely, and emotionally appealing—and by trust in AI, while perceived lack of trust inhibits purchasing. Qualitative findings underscore affective responses alongside ethical concerns, perceived transparency, and perceived control over data. Overall, the study shows that effective personalization depends not only on algorithmic sophistication but also on users’ sense of relevance and autonomy and on ethical data governance. The conclusions highlight sustainability-consistent implications for marketers: increase data transparency, segment customers by privacy sensitivity, and adopt accountable, consent-based personalization to build durable trust and loyalty. Future research should examine longitudinal effects and cultural differences, acknowledging limits of small purposive qualitative samples for generalization and exploring how consumer trust, ethical perceptions, and responses to AI personalization evolve over time. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Digital Marketing Policy and Studies of Consumer Behavior)

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29 pages, 2909 KB

Open AccessSystematic Review

The Role of Digital Marketing in Shaping Sustainable Consumption: Insights from a Systematic Literature Review

by Albérico Travassos Rosário and Joana Carmo Dias

Sustainability 2025, 17(17), 7784; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17177784 - 29 Aug 2025

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 15217

Abstract

As global awareness of environmental and social challenges continues to rise, companies are increasingly re-evaluating how they connect with consumers. This study investigates the role of digital marketing in promoting more sustainable consumer behaviours. Based on a systematic review of peer-reviewed literature retrieved from the Scopus database, and conducted following the PRISMA framework, this research analysed 84 academic publications. The findings highlight that strategies such as personalised messaging, social media engagement, influencer collaborations, and eco-conscious branding are significantly influencing purchasing decisions. Approaches rooted in transparency, emotional storytelling, and ethical data practices appear to enhance consumer trust and strengthen brand relationships. Although the field is technically well developed, it remains underexplored in areas such as digital accessibility and ethical governance. Overall, this study suggests that, when aligned with sustainable values, digital marketing becomes more than a promotional tool—it emerges as a key driver of responsible consumption and the cultivation of long-term, value-based connections between consumers and brands. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Digital Marketing Policy and Studies of Consumer Behavior)

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