The spiritual roots of sustainable consumption among Muslim consumers: environmental and health consciousness as mediating pathways

Abstract

Research on sustainable consumption has largely emphasized secular motivations, leaving the psychological role of spirituality/religiosity underexplored within Muslim societies. Addressing this gap, this study investigates the relationship between spirituality and sustainable consumption behaviors (SCBs) among Muslim consumers in Türkiye, with environmental and health consciousness examined as parallel mediating mechanisms. Data were collected from 414 adult Muslim consumers through an online survey and analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural path analysis via Hayes’ PROCESS macro (Model 4). The empirical findings indicate that spirituality is significantly and positively associated with sustainable consumption behaviors both directly and indirectly. Environmental consciousness emerged as a numerically stronger mediating pathway than health consciousness in the relationship between spirituality and sustainable consumption. Notably, when both mediators are included in the model, the direct path from spirituality to sustainable consumption behaviors becomes non-significant, consistent with a full-mediation pattern in the estimated model, in line with the value–attitude–behavior hierarchy. These results suggest that spirituality’s association with consumption decisions is, within the estimated model, transmitted through intervening attitudinal states. The study suggests that sustainable consumption initiatives in Muslim contexts can be meaningfully strengthened by integrating eco-friendly practices with consumers’ underlying spiritual and religious values.