Choose and Reject: Emotional Framing in Sustainable Consumption — A Qualitative Perspective

This study investigates how consumers emotionally frame sustainable consumption decisions through two decision strategies: choosing (actively selecting sustainable options) and rejecting (deliberately avoiding unsustainable ones). The research asks how these strategies shape consumers' emotional experiences and sense of identity. Using a qualitative research design, we conducted in-depth interviews with thirty Italian consumers from Generations Z, Y, and X. Each selected one image symbolizing sustainability, which triggered narrative reflections on identity, emotion, and how they framed their sustainable behavior as either choosing or rejecting. The first findings reveal that choosing strategies to evoke pride, aspiration, and hedonic well-being while rejecting strategies that foster moral coherence, empowerment, and eudaimonic well-being. However, even sustainable choices may generate frustration or dissonance when actions feel externally imposed or economically constrained. Both strategies, when perceived as authentic, support self-congruity and well-being. The study contributes to consumer research by highlighting symbolic and emotional dimensions of sustainability-related decisions. Practical implications suggest supporting inclusion (choose) and exclusion (reject) paths through autonomy-enhancing interventions and identity-relevant communication.