RELIGIOUS PRACTICE, CONSUMPTION, AND THE PLANET: HOW RELIGIOUS ETHICS SHAPE SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION AND MARKETING STRATEGIES
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
The nexus between religious practice and sustainable consumption can help researchers gain some profound insights into how religious values and practices shape consumer behavior and promote more sustainable lifestyles. Thus, researchers must drive positive change by persuading religious consumers to incorporate sustainable practices, such as eco-friendly product choices and sustainable healthcare practices, into their daily habits. This research explores religious practices and consumption behavior in the specific context of Burkina. This study is an exploratory qualitative research design. Additionally, the research philosophical stance is grounded in the constructivist worldview. The data were gathered from 12 respondents through semi-structured interviews. A content analysis is conducted after transcribing the data, focusing on verbatim data to gain firsthand insights into consumers' experiences. The findings indicate that strong religious practices promote significant nonalcoholic beverage consumption, while weak religious practices reduce it. The findings imply that marketers in developing countries should develop new innovative beverage market segmentation strategies to overcome the industry's marketing myopia and to drive sustainability and growth in the beverage sector. This paper bridges spiritual practices and sustainability by building a synergy in which spiritual values, eco-conscious behavior, and traditions shape ethical, health-driven consumption. Thus, it expands the scope of consumption to include personal well-being, which is often overlooked in sustainability discourse.
JEL Classification Codes: D18, M3, M31, N37, P36.
Downloads
Article Details
Section
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
How to Cite
References
Abdellatif, M. A. A., Meddour, H., Saoula, O., & Majid, A. H. A. (2018). Consumer buying behavior: The roles of price, motivation, perceived culture importance, and religious orientation. Journal of Business and Retail Management Research, 12(4), 177-186.
Agarwala, R., Mishra, P., & Singh, R. (2017). Religiosity and consumer behavior: A summarizing review. Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion, 16(1), 32–34.
Ahmad, A. N., Rahman, A. A., & Abd Rahman, S. (2015). Assessing knowledge and religiosity on consumer behavior towards halal food and cosmetic products. International Journal of Social Science and Humanity, 5(1), 10–14.
Akhtar, N., & Sandhu, M. A. (2024). Personal values and cultural distances: Shaping consumer motivation in collaborative consumption. Review of Applied Management and Social Sciences, 7(4), 567–596.
Alam, S. S., Mohd, R., & Hisham, B. (2011). Is religiosity an important determinant of Muslim consumer behaviour in Malaysia? Journal of Islamic Marketing, 2(1), 83–96.
Al-Hyari, K., Alnsour, M., Al-Weshah, G., & Haffar, M. (2012). Religious beliefs and consumer behaviour: From loyalty to boycotts. Journal of Islamic Marketing, 3(2), 155–174.
Al-Malkawi, H. A. N., Rizwan, S., & Sarea, A. (2023). Factors affecting buying decisions of Islamic banking products: the moderating role of religious belief. International Journal of Emerging Markets, 125(13), 462-481
Amankwaa, A. A., Reed, W., & Owens, D. A. (2012). Church attendance and alcohol consumption level: Reasons for not drinking alcohol among college students. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 2(4), 1–8.
Arnould, E. J., & Thompson, C. J. (2005). Consumer culture theory (CCT): Twenty years of research. The Journal of Consumer Research, 31(4), 868–882.
Ardhiyansyah, A., & Iskandar, Y. (2023). Why do consumers buy paper bags? The impact of habit, consumer awareness, and sustainability as drivers of environmentally responsible consumer behavior. The Es Economics and Entrepreneurship, 2(02), 61–75.
Ashraf, M. A. (2019). Islamic marketing and consumer behavior toward halal food purchase in Bangladesh: an analysis using SEM. Journal of Islamic Marketing, 10(3), 893–910.
Awanis, S., Schlegelmilch, B. B., & Cui, C. C. (2017). Asia’s materialists: Reconciling collectivism and materialism. Journal of International Business Studies, 48(8), 964-991.
Babakus, E., Bettina Cornwell, T., Mitchell, V., & Schlegelmilch, B. (2004). Reactions to unethical consumer behavior across six countries. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 21(4), 254-263.
Bakar, A., Lee, R., & Rungie, C. (2013). The effects of religious symbols in product packaging on Muslim consumer responses. Australasian Marketing Journal, 21(1), 198–204.
Batra, R., Arunachalam, S., Wong, N. Y., & Lee, M. S. (2024). Unpacking collective materialism: how values shape consumption in seven Asian markets. Journal of International Business Studies, 55(3), 361–375.
Bazié, J. (2011). Comprendre la communication en milieu traditionnel. Ouagadougou, OR: Les Presses Africaines.
Benabdallah, M., & Jolibert, A. (2013). L’acculturation: L’influence des sous-cultures d’origine et de la distance culturelle. Décisions Marketing, 1(4), 179-205.
Bergadaa, M., & Faure, C. (1995). Enduring involvement with shopping. Journal of Social Psychology, 135(1), 17–25.
Bhattacharya, N., & Bansal, D. (2025). Exploring the dynamics of ethnoconsumerism: The interplay between indigenous and mainstream consumer behavior in cross-cultural contexts. In Indigenous Empowerment through Human-Machine Interactions: The Challenges and Strategies from Business Lenses (pp. 53–71). Emerald Publishing Limited.
Campanella, M. R. (2016). Halal food consumption, responsibility, moral overtones, and renegotiation of categories among Muslim believers in Stockholm County. Uppsala, UP : University of Uppsala.
Carrino, M., Poujol, F., & Bertrandias, L. (2010). Analyse des données avec SPSS (2ème edition). Paris, PA: Pearson éducation.
Chen, C. C., & Unal, A. F. (2023). Individualism-collectivism: A review of conceptualization and measurement. New York, NY: Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Business and Management.
Chen, M.-F. (2007). Consumer attitudes and purchase intentions in relation to organic foods in Taiwan: Moderating effects of food-related personality traits. Food Quality and Preferences, 18(7), 1008–1021.
Choi, S., & Feinberg, R. (2024). Investigating the role of individualism/collectivism as underlying motives and status consumption as a behavioral outcome of LOHAS: Focusing on the moderating effect of materialism. Innovative Marketing, 20(2), 15.
Chowdhury, R. M. M. I. (2018). Religious orientations and consumer ethics: The mediating role of personal moral philosophies. Journal of Macromarketing, 38(3), 315–330
Chowdhury, S., Ahmed, M. T., Oni, F. A., & Mamun, T. M. (2024). Individualistic or collectivistic: which consideration motivates the purchasing intention of organic foods? A developing country perspective. Journal of Agribusiness in Developing and Emerging Economies, 14(5), 1089–1108.
Chun, H. (2024). The influence of culture and other factors on consumer attitudes towards sustainable consumption (Master's thesis). Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya.
Cui, G. Q., Zeng, J. Y., & Jin, C. H. (2022). The impact of vertical/horizontal individualism and collectivism on ethical consumption. Sustainability, 14(21), 14254.
Czarnecka, B., Schivinski, B., & Keles, S. (2020). How values of individualism and collectivism influence impulsive buying and money budgeting: the mediating role of acculturation to global consumer culture. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 19(5), 505-522.
Demeure, C. (2008). Le marketing. Paris, PA: Dunod.
De Montpellier, G. (1947). Qu'est-ce que le comportement? Revue Philosophique de Louvain, 45(1), 45-59.
De Mooij, M. (2003). Convergence and divergence in consumer behaviour: Implications for global advertising. International Journal of Advertising, 22(1), 183-202.
Diop, F. (2012). L’influence de la religion musulmane sur le comportement de consommation au Sénégal. Dakar, DA : École Supérieure Polytechnique de Dakar, Université Cheikh Anta Diop.
Diop, F. (2004). L’achat familial en Afrique. Dakar, DA : École Supérieure Polytechnique de Dakar, Université Cheikh Anta Diop.
Fam, K. S., Waller, D. S., & Erdogan, B. Z. (2002). The influence of religion on attitudes towards the advertising of controversial products. European Journal of Marketing, 38(5/6), 537–555.
Fincham, F. D., & Beach, S. R. H. (2013). I say a little prayer for you: Praying for partner increases commitment in romantic relationships. Journal of Family Psychology, 28(5), 587–593.
Gaćeša, D., Brečić, R., & Gorton, M. (2022). Consumer behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic: The importance of collectivist orientation. Market-Tržište, 34(2), 175-190.
Gregory, G. D., Munch, J. M., & Peterson, M. (2002). Attitude functions in consumer research: Comparing value–attitude relations in individualist and collectivist cultures. Journal of Business Research, 55(11), 933–942.
Eckhardt, G. M. (2000). Symbolic consumption in China: Product meaning and the interdependent self. University of Minnesota.
Hajjimi, M. (2025). La religiosité et le comportement du consommateur: Étude empirique sur l’impact de la religiosité du consommateur marocain sur son intention d’achat de crédit à intérêts. International Journal of Accounting, Finance, Auditing, 6(5) (2025), 454-466
Han, B., & Kim, M. (2019). Hofstede’s collectivistic values and sustainable growth of online group buying. Sustainability, 11(4), 1016.
Hasmin, H., Nurung, J., & Ilyas, G. B. (2025). Religion-based family management and its impact on consumption patterns and poverty: A human resource and management perspective. Economies, 13(3), 70.
He, Y., Wang, Y., & Gao, X. (2022). What role does religion have in shaping human consumption? Religions, 13(1), 1-8.
He, Y., & Tian, W. (2023). Religious participation: Does it shape food consumption? Religions, 14(3), 350.
Hussein, N. H. (2021). Religion and psychological influences on consumer behaviour: Perspectives on developing nations. In Religion and Consumer Behaviour in Developing Nations (pp. 25–44). Edward Elgar Publishing.
Ianole-Călin, R., Francioni, B., Masili, G., Druică, E., & Goschin, Z. (2020). A cross-cultural analysis of how individualism and collectivism impact collaborative consumption. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 157, 104762.
Institut National de la Statistique et de la Démographie (INSD). (2010). Recensement général de la population et de l’habitat 2006, rapport définitif. Ouagadougou, OR: INSD.
Jabłońska-Karczmarczyk, K. (2024). Towards socially responsible consumption: Assessing the role of prayer in consumption. Religions, 15(4), 1-11.
Jung, J., & Cho, S. Y. (2023). How do individualism and collectivism influence pro-environmental purchasing behavior based on environmental self-identity? Sustainability, 15(22), 16075.
Kibora, L. (2015). Social change, new food habits, and food price volatility in Burkina Faso. IDS Bulletin, 46(6), 105–109.
Kok Wah, J. N. (2025). Empowering healthier decisions: the impact of consumer innovativeness on linking perceived benefits with protective health behaviors through digital marketing in the healthcare sector. International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing; https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPHM-07-2024-0073
Li, J., Ghaffari, M., & Su, L. (2020). Counterfeit luxury consumption strategies in a collectivistic culture: The case of China. Journal of Brand Management, 27(5), 546-560.
Lindridge, A. (2005). Religiosity and the construction of a cultural‐consumption identity. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 22(3), 142–151.
Lipner, J. (2012). Hindus: Their religious beliefs and practices. Routledge.
Marhana, M. A., Fadzli, A., & Khatijah, O. (2012). The role of religiosity in socially responsible consumption. International Journal of Asian Social Science, 2(9), 1467–1476.
Mattar, D. M., & Hanna, S. (2024). Consumer behavior: managerial insights from a collectivistic culture. Journal of Strategic Marketing, 1–16.
Miller, V. J. (2005). Consuming religion: Christian faith and practice in a consumer culture. London, LO: Bloomsbury Academic.
Mohajan, H. K. (2018). Qualitative research methodology in social sciences and related subjects. Journal of Economic Development, Environment and People, 7(1), 23–48.
Mokhlis, S. (2009). Relevancy and measurement of religiosity in consumer behavior research. International Business Research, Management Trade, 2(3), 75-84.
Mokhlis, S. (2008). Consumer religiosity and the importance of store attributes. The Journal of Human Resource and Adult Learning, 4(2), 122-133.
Mokhlis, S. (2006). The effect of religiosity on shopping orientation: An exploratory study in Malaysia. The Journal of American Academy of Business, 9(1), 64-74.
Sholihin, M. (2024). Islamic rationality of Muslim consumers: New insight from text analytics and Al-Ghazali’s thought. Journal of Islamic Accounting and Business Research, 15(7), 1093–1117.
Sudaryanto, S., Hanim, A., & Utari, W. (2020). Behaviour on repurchase intention in a Moslem ethnic store in Indonesia. International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change, 13(12), 1341–1355.
Nangia, P., Bansal, S., & Thaichon, P. (2024). Doing more with less: An integrative literature review on responsible consumption behaviour. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 23(1), 141–155.
Navarro-Prado, S., Gonzalez-Jimenez, E., Perona, J.S., Montero-Alonso, M.A., Lopez-Bueno, M. & Schmidt- Rio Valle, J. (2017). Need of improvement of diet and life habits among university student regardless of religion professed. Appetite, 114(1), 6-14.
Ogiemwonyi, O., & Jan, M. T. (2023). The influence of collectivism on consumer responses to green behavior. Business Strategy & Development, 6(4), 542–556.
Okon, B. A., Asu, O. T., & Tiku, O. T. (2014). Analysis of the implications of religious teachings and practices on spending pattern, consumption and business success in Nigeria industrial development. European Journal of Business and Social Sciences, 2(11), 114-126.
Ouédraogo, A. (2007). Strategic management in African firms: A local perspective. Problems and Perspectives in Management, 5(1), 82-94.
Patel, M. (2010). Influence of religion on shopping behaviour of consumers: An exploratory study. National Monthly Refereed Journal of Research in Commerce and Management, 1(5), 68–78.
Patsiaouras, G., & Fitchett, J. A. (2012). The evolution of conspicuous consumption. Journal of Historical Research in Marketing, 4(1), 154–176.
Perconte, B. (2003). 50 Fiches pour comprendre le marketing. Paris, PA: Bréal
Quéchon, M. (1971). Réflexions sur certains aspects du syncrétisme dans l'islam ouest-africain. Cahiers d'Études Africaines, 11(42), 206-230.
Rastier, F. (1968). Comportement et signification. Langages, 1(10), 76-86.
Rinallo, D., & Santana, J. (2023). Religion, spirituality and consumption. Consumer Culture Theory, 132–153.
Roseira, C., Teixeira, S., Barbosa, B., & Macedo, R. (2022). How collectivism affects organic food purchase intention and behavior: A study with Norwegian and Portuguese young consumers. Sustainability, 14(12), 7361.
Santovito, S., Campo, R., Rosato, P., & Khuc, L. D. (2023). Impact of faith on food marketing and consumer behaviour: a review. British Food Journal, 125(13), 462-481
Sanogo, Z. Y., & Coulibaly, N. V. (2003). Croyances animistes et développement en Afrique subsaharienne. Horizons Philosophiques, 13(2), 139-152.
Schrank, Z., & Running, K. (2018). Individualist and collectivist consumer motivations in local organic food markets. Journal of Consumer Culture, 18(1), 184–201.
Shamsher, R. (2022). Global perspective of consumer behaviour during covid-19. International Journal of Marketing Research Innovation, 7(1), 20–29. https://doi.org/10.46281/ijmri.v7i1.1807
Šmakova, V., & Piligrimienė, Ž. (2022, January). Religion in consumer behavior research: A systematic literature review. In Eurasian Business and Economics Perspectives: Proceedings of the 33rd Eurasia Business and Economics Society Conference (pp. 179-191). Cham: Springer International Publishing.
Stewart, W. C., Adams, M. P., Stewart, J. A., & Nelson, L. A. (2013). Review of clinical medicine and religious practice. Journal of religion and health, 52(1), 91–106.
Stump, R. L., & Gong, W. (2020). Social media adoption and national culture: The dominant and nuanced effect of individualism-collectivism. Journal of Business and Management, 26(2), 1-31.
Tariq, A., & Tanveer, Y. (2025). Sacred choices: Exploring the influence of religion on green consumption. In Government influences on eco-friendly practices in business (pp. 151–176). IGI Global.
Van Campenhoudt, L., & Charliet, J. E. (2014). 4 méthodes de recherches en sciences sociales: Cas pratiques pour l’Afrique francophone et le Maghreb. Paris, PA: Dunod.
Ward, G. (2005). Cultural transformation and religious practice. Cambridge, CA: Cambridge.
Warden, C. A., Huang, S. C. T., Yen, W. H., & Chen, J. F. (2021). The Tao of consumption: private self in a collective culture. Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 31(5), 756–782.
Weder, F., Golob, U., & Podnar, K. (2025). Sustainable consumption in context: A cross-cultural study of social representations. Sustainability, 17(4), 1531.
White, B. (2002). Writing your MBA dissertation. London, LO: Tji Digital.
Wong, N. Y., & Ahuvia, A. C. (1998). Personal taste and family face: Luxury consumption in Confucian and Western societies. Psychology & Marketing, 15(5), 423–441.
Woodhead, L. (2012). Gender differences in religious practice and significance. Travail, Genre et Sociétés, 27(1), 33-54.
Xiao, G., & Kim, J. O. (2009). The investigation of Chinese consumer values, consumption values, life satisfaction, and consumption behaviors. Psychology & Marketing, 26(7), 610–624.
Zikmund, G. W., & D’Amico, M. (1996). Basic marketing. New York, NY: West Publishing Company.