The throwaway divide: how socioeconomic status shapes disposal behaviors
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2025-10-16
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Vieites, Yan
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Despite the wide socioeconomic inequalities in many countries and the growing attention devoted to the role of overconsumption and waste in consumer decision-making, the assessment of how and why disposal practices vary across socioeconomic status (SES) remains largely unexplored. In this research, we fill this gap with three studies conducted in a highly unequal socioeconomic environment. Our findings demonstrate that low-SES consumers are significantly more likely to avoid product disposal than their wealthier counterparts. Critically, the reasons for the discrepancy go well beyond financial considerations. Whereas studies 1a and 1b demonstrate that low-SES (vs. high-SES) consumers are less likely to discard items and more likely to look for ways of extending the lifespan of used or damaged yet functional products, Study 2 reveals that, in addition to financial considerations, differences in perceived product damage, moral considerations associated with disposal, and social signaling also help explain the phenomenon. Moreover, environmental concerns have negligible explanatory power. The findings underscore the significance of a more comprehensive understanding of the psychological factors that influence disposal behavior, as well as the application of such insights to design targeted interventions aimed at reducing wasteful practices among the affluent.