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Businesses must consider ethical decisions in the workplace to maintain trust, uphold their reputation, and avoid legal consequences. Ethical decision-making fosters a positive work culture and ensures long-term sustainability. The purpose of this paper is to examine the ethical dimensions of consumer ethics and sustainable consumption—specifically focusing on fast fashion and businesses’ corresponding responsibilities. This analysis will use the ethical theory of egoism (which centers on self-interest as a driver of actions) and align with UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). The assessment will further discuss fast fashion’s ethical pitfalls and how businesses can fulfill their responsibilities under SDG12.

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consumer ethics and sustainable consumption

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Linked to SDG 12 (Sustainable Consumption and Production), the study directly responds to SDG 12’s core goal of fostering sustainable consumption patterns. Bahrain’s 2030 Vision integrates SDGs, and this research offers actionable insights for universities, businesses, and policymakers to bridge awareness-behavior gaps, guiding young Bahraini women’s SCB—ultimately supporting local progress toward SDG 12.

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This paper explores sustainable consumption behavior (SCB) of young Bahraini women (19–24 years) via 46 semi-structured interviews, focusing on "awareness, motivation, attitude, behavior." Findings: sustainability awareness is growing (aided by university education/direct experience) but uneven; motivation prioritizes environmental concerns over cultural/economic ones; attitudes are generally positive (yet with distrust of brand greenwashing); SCB acts as a "bonus" (not a priority) in purchase decisions. It also emphasizes brands’ responsibilities in consumer education and fair pricing.

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Mehrotra et al. published in Social Responsibility Journal 21(1) 2025, studying 19-24-year-old Bahraini young women via 46 interviews. It found their sustainable consumption awareness grows but is uneven, motivation focuses on the environment, attitudes are positive yet distrust brand greenwashing, offering insights for Bahrain’s SDG12🔶1-2,🔶1-5,🔶1-6,🔶1-18,🔶1-197.

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Egoism centers on actions driven by the moral agent’s long-term self-interest (e.g., economic savings, personal health). In consumer ethics, this translates to sustainable choices rooted in individual benefits: for example, buying energy-efficient appliances to cut utility bills or choosing organic food to protect one’s health.

The journal reflects subtle egoistic tendencies among young Bahraini women. While their primary motivation for sustainable consumption is environmental concern, they also prioritize personal interests: participants like P_3 and P_38 stated they “would pay more for sustainable products but only within a reasonable limit,” linking their willingness to spend to financial affordability.

For SDG 12, egoism acts as a practical catalyst. Consumers’ pursuit of self-interest (e.g., saving money, staying healthy) boosts demand for affordable, sustainable products.

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Utilitarianism aims to maximize overall well-being for the greatest number of people, emphasizing collective benefits over individual gains. In sustainable consumption ethics, this means choices that reduce pollution, conserve resources, and benefit current and future generations globally.

The journal’s core findings align closely with utilitarianism. Young Bahraini women’s key motivation is environmental concern: P_13 noted she “tries to reduce her carbon footprint and use eco-friendly bags,” while P_18 stopped using single-use plastic bottles to “combat ocean plastic pollution.” These actions, though individual, contribute to collective good—protecting ecosystems shared by all humans.

SDG 12’s ethical foundation is inherently utilitarian. Its focus on global sustainable consumption/production seeks to mitigate climate change impacts .(e.g., droughts, pollution)

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Kantian Ethics is guided by three principles: universalizability, treating others with goodwill, and not using others as mere means to an end. In consumer ethics, this involves rejecting “greenwashing” (brands’ false sustainable claims) and choosing products that respect producers, consumers, and the environment.

The journal reveals strong alignment with Kantian Ethics among participants. They openly criticized brands like Zara and Nike for “faking sustainability while using child labor” (P_1), refusing to be exploited as profit tools.

For SDG 12, Kantian Ethics sets a moral standard. It compels businesses to abandon profit-only mindsets (e.g., avoiding greenwashing, pricing sustainable products fairly) and treat consumers/environment as ends in themselves.

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Consumer ethics and sustainable consumption (focusing on consumers’ moral choices for sustainability) and the journal are key for SDG12 implementation. The journal finds Bahraini young women have growing sustainability awareness but face barriers: price sensitivity (P_3) and distrust of brand greenwashing (P_1). These are concerns for SDG12—price barriers limit sustainable product adoption, while greenwashing undermines trust. Also, their environmental motives (P_13) drive demand for sustainable goods, pushing businesses to align with SDG12. The journal’s insights guide policies (e.g., brand regulation) and business strategies (affordable sustainable products) to advance SDG12🔶2-6,🔶2-197,🔶2-202.

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This study contributes to the fundamental knowledge of circular economy practices by identifying key trends related to future challenges and opportunities for Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and assessing regional position gaps and global attributes.

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Consumer ethics (guiding moral choices in sustainable consumption) is the core driver of SDG12 (Sustainable Consumption and Production). The journal, via 46 interviews with young Bahraini women, reveals their environmental-focused motivation (e.g., reducing carbon footprints, P_13) and wariness of brand greenwashing (e.g., criticizing Zara/Nike’s false claims, P_1), offering empirical insights into how consumer ethics shapes real-world sustainable behavior—directly supporting SDG12’s localization.

Macro-significantly, local communities can adopt the journal’s “education + brand guidance” model (e.g., university sustainability curricula, P_97) to boost consumer awareness. Australia can learn from Bahrain’s efforts to balance affordability and sustainability (e.g., consumers’ “reasonable price limit” for green products, P_3) to promote domestic green product adoption. Globally, the study provides a regional case for SDG12, fostering shared strategies for nurturing consumer ethics across economies and advancing global sustainable consumption to address climate and resource crises.

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consumer ethics and sustainable consumption

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Mehrotra, A. A., Sengupta, D., El Khoury, C. M., & Arkadan, F. (2025). Sustainable consumption behavior among Bahraini young female consumers. Social Responsibility Journal, 21(1), 133–153. https://doi.org/10.1108/SRJ-09-2023-0519

Tsai, F.-M., Mohamed, A. F., Bui, T.-D., Sethanan, K., & Tseng, M.-L. (2025). Sustainable development goal 12 - responsible consumption and production challenges and opportunities in world regions: a data-driven analysis on circular economy practices. Journal of Industrial and Production Engineering. https://doi.org/10.1080/21681015.2025.2532419