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Abstract
This study examines how eco-anxiety and purchase guilt influence consumer preference for sustainable packaging, with environmental self-accountability as a mediating mechanism. While prior research has largely focused on cognitive determinants of sustainable consumption, limited attention has been given to how emotional factors translate into behavioural outcomes, particularly in the FMCG packaging context. Data were collected from consumers in Karnataka, India, using a cross-sectional survey and analysed through Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The findings indicate that eco-anxiety and purchase guilt significantly influence sustainable packaging preferences both directly and indirectly through environmental self-accountability. Consumers experiencing emotional discomfort related to environmental harm are more likely to internalize personal responsibility, which in turn shapes their consumption choices. The study contributes to the literature by providing a focused explanation of how emotional responses are transformed into behaviour through self-accountability in an emerging market context. Practically, the findings suggest that policymakers and marketers should promote sustainable behaviour through ethically grounded strategies that enhance consumer awareness and responsibility without relying on manipulative emotional appeals.
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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Article Type: Research Article
EUR J SUSTAIN DEV RES, Volume 10, Issue 4, 2026, Article No: em0434
https://doi.org/10.29333/ejosdr/19258
Publication date: 01 Oct 2026
Online publication date: 16 Sep 2026
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Article Downloads: 6
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