What Brought Me Here? Different Consumer Journeys for Practices of Sustainable Disposal through Takeback Programmes

Abstract

Despite being considered a consumption behaviour, disposal is still treated in an incipient way in the consumer literature. In addition, little is known about the entire journey of those who practice sustainable consumption disposal. In order to fill this gap, this exploratory, qualitative study used semi-structed interviews with 15 consumers who already discarded items through return programmes for recycling purposes of two products: slow fashion wallets and coffee capsules. The products are from two companies in Brazil, Dobra and Terra Cycle, whose managers were also interviewed. Records of photos and videos made by these consumers were also part of the research material, in addition to the analysis of brands’ social media. Content analysis with deductive coding was used to analyse the data. The results allow for the proposition of a disposal journey framework and the understanding of this journey and its touchpoints for the products as a different trajectory. Still, it was found that detachment, emotional and mental separation from the product, only happens in some circumstances. The theoretical, managerial, and social implications of this journey of sustainable consumption disposal are discussed.