Aesthetics and Comfort Still Play a Stronger Role than Sustainability in Decision-Making, Concludes European Footwear Study

A peer-reviewed study compares Dutch and Italian consumers’ decision-making around sustainable footwear. The findings underscore how attitude, social norms, and a sense of responsibility affect eco-conscious purchases, with significant cultural differences shaping the outcome. The model offers a blueprint for companies aiming to decode sustainability behaviour in diverse fashion markets.

Staff Writer

1 August 2025

Long Story, Cut Short

The study compares what drives sustainable footwear purchases in Italy and the Netherlands.
Responsibility and peer pressure play a key role in influencing eco shoe choices across both markets.
Researchers expanded an existing behavioural model to include sustainability-specific consumer drivers.

A cross-national academic study has found that Italian and Dutch consumers are influenced by different psychological factors when it comes to purchasing sustainable footwear. Responsibility, peer norms, and individual attitudes all matter—but function differently across contexts. These findings offer new insight into tailoring sustainability strategies for consumer groups in Europe’s diverse fashion markets.

Consumers evaluate different fashion products—like shoes or shirts—through distinct lenses of sustainability, the study concluded.
The study used an expanded Theory of Planned Behaviour model and surveyed 724 consumers across Italy and the Netherlands.
Ascribing of responsibility and subjective norms were strong predictors of sustainable purchase intent in both countries.
Perceived behavioural control showed a counterintuitive negative effect on intention, especially among Italian respondents.
The study has identified culturally specific patterns in how sustainability cues translateinto action or inaction.

THE STUDY: Titled Sustainability across Borders: which factors influence sustainable footwear choices? An empirical study on Italian and Dutch consumers, the paper was authored by Valerio Schiaroli, Letizia Alvino, Emma Verdonk, Rosa Maria Dangelico and Luca Fraccascia.

It contributes to the academic literature by examining behavioural differences between two markets using a robust and extended analytical model.
The study was published in the Journal of Cleaner Production in July 2025.
Authors are affiliated with research institutions across Italy and the Netherlands.
The paper applied a comparative model of sustainable fashion behaviour to footwear.
Its cross-national scope makes it one of few footwear-specific studies in sustainability research.

THE RESEARCH: Researchers tested eight hypotheses using structural equation modelling. Six were supported. Attitude, subjective norms, and responsibility had strong positive effects on intention. Behavioural control had a negative effect, particularly in the Italian sample. The comparative model also revealed four statistically significant differences in how Italian and Dutch consumers responded to the same behavioural drivers.

In both countries, attitude and social norms positively influenced sustainable footwear purchase intent.
Ascribing responsibility was a consistent positive driver of both intent and attitude across the sample.
Perceived marketplace influence shaped attitudes but did not directly affect intention.
Four structural path relationships differed significantly between Italian and Dutch respondents.

CONTEXT FRAME: Footwear is often left out of sustainability discussions despite its considerable environmental footprint. Shoes are typically made with plastics, adhesives, and chemicals that hinder recyclability and contribute to landfill volume. This study refocused attention on consumer behaviour specific to footwear, showing that purchasing decisions in this category may differ sharply from those in clothing or accessories.

Sustainable footwear consumption affects multiple SDGs, including those targeting climate, waste, and responsible consumption.
The study highlights differences in national consumption patterns shaped by economic and cultural factors.
Companies like Nike and Rothy’s were cited in the study for their investments in recycled and biodegradable footwear.

STRATEGIC SUBTEXT: By incorporating ‘Perceived Marketplace Influence and Ascription of Responsibility’, the study reflects a move towards including social and moral factors in behavioural models. These variables shift focus away from simple access or affordability and towards how consumers see themselves in relation to wider environmental impacts and the perceived effect of their own choices.

Fashion choices are increasingly tied to personal identity and perceived influence on others.
The study suggests that responsibility-oriented cues may influence intent more than abstract sustainability appeals.
The extended model emphasises social-psychological levers not captured in earlier frameworks.
Country-specific campaigns may require different motivational triggers for sustainability engagement.

YES, BUT: Although many respondents expressed positive attitudes towards sustainable footwear, reported purchases remained low. Dutch consumers reported more past purchases, but the study stopped short of drawing a direct link between nationality and overall purchase intent. The authors noted that intention does not always translate into action, particularly when practical trade-offs complicate sustainable choices.

Dutch participants had higher self-reported purchase rates than their Italian counterparts.
Intent and behaviour patterns varied significantly across the two countries.
Factors such as aesthetics and comfort still play a stronger role than sustainability in decision-making.
The self-reported nature of the survey limits the ability to generalise findings to actual behaviour.

MOVING ON: The authors recommend testing this expanded behavioural model in additional countries and fashion categories to evaluate its robustness. Future studies may explore how affordability, product visibility, and environmental knowledge shape sustainability choices, offering critical guidance for designing more effective green marketing strategies across various global contexts.

Follow-up studies are expected to explore youth behaviour in non-European markets.
The model may be applied to fast fashion, accessories, and rental platforms.
Industry groups could use findings to refine audience segmentation and campaign design.

Aesthetics and Comfort Still Play a Stronger Role than Sustainability in Decision-Making, Concludes European Footwear Study

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