Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on environmental awareness, sustainable consumption and social responsibility: evidence from generations in Brazil and Portugal

Abstract

The COVID-19 Pandemic has become a major public health concern worldwide, which can impact environmental sustainability and social responsibility, as well as people’s quality of life. In this context, environmental awareness, sustainable consumption and social actions of people have been effectively changed, as a period of quarantine, social isolation and health crisis caused by Pandemic has been experienced. This study aims to analyze the impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on environmental awareness, sustainable consumption and social responsibility, in the perception of Baby Boomers, X and Y generations, residents in Brazil and Portugal. The method used was quantitative research, of a descriptive character, through a survey applied to 3236 people, which was analyzed with the use of Structural Equation Modeling. The results indicate that COVID-19 Pandemic is an important vector in people’s behavioral change, which reflects on environmental sustainability and social responsibility. It is noteworthy that the impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic had a greater influence on sustainable consumption, followed by environmental awareness, and to a lesser extent, on social responsibility. There was also greater relevance in Portugal, as well as the perception of the Baby Boomers generation. This study also provides a framework such as metrics to measure a transformational event, which is the COVID-19 Pandemic in socio-environmental aspects and conscious consumption.