Consumer Behaviour, Circular Economy, and Innovation: Driving Sustainable Consumption

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue focuses on the evolving relationship between consumer behaviour, the circular economy, and innovation, highlighting how these dynamics drive sustainable consumption patterns. The critical roles of product innovation, circular design, business model transformation, and responsible consumption in shaping market trends and promoting sustainability are emphasized.

This Special Issue spans a broad interdisciplinary scope, covering themes such as the following:

• Consumer behaviour and sustainable consumption choices;
• The influence of circular economy principles on purchasing decisions;
• Innovation in sustainable product and service development;
• Corporate responsibility, green marketing, and authentic sustainability communication;
• Case studies of companies applying circular economy models successfully;
• Barriers and enablers of consumer participation in circular initiatives (e.g., reuse, repair, recycling);
• Cross-cultural or regional perspectives on circular practices and the uptake of sustainable innovation.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to examine the following:

• Investigate how consumers respond to and shape circular economy initiatives.
• Critically assess the role of innovation in promoting or hindering sustainable consumption.
• Bridge gaps in current sustainability research by integrating behavioural insights, circular economy frameworks, and innovation strategies.
• Provide actionable recommendations for policymakers, businesses, and educators seeking to foster scalable, sustainable behaviours.

This Special Issue will advance the field through the following contributions:

• Extending Sustainable Consumption Research: While prior studies have explored green consumption, this Special Issue will focus on circularity and innovation as systemic enablers.
• Filling Gaps in Circular Economy Research: By centring the consumer perspective, this issue explores how individual choices interact with systemic changes.
• Advancing Theoretical Frameworks: Contributions may refine or propose models connecting circular economy principles, behavioural economics, and innovation management.

This contributes directly to Sustainability’s core aims by offering the following outcomes:

• Quantification Tools: Proposing metrics and analytics to assess consumer participation in circular systems.
• Scientific Integration: Blending marketing, sociology, design, environmental science, and innovation studies for a holistic perspective.
• Policy and Practice Implications: Informing regulatory frameworks, corporate strategies, and educational interventions supporting circularity.

This Special Issue will provide an innovative and timely contribution to sustainability discourse, showcasing how consumer engagement with innovations within the circular economy can help reshape markets, expectations, and sustainability pathways. Empirical research, theoretical development, and applied insights are encouraged to ensure sustainability efforts remain adaptive, impactful, and forward-looking.

Dr. Vera Teixeira Vale
Guest Editor

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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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.

• circular economy
• consumer behaviour
• innovation
• sustainable consumption
• green marketing
• systemic change