Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Mindfulness in marketing & consumption: a review & research agenda

  • Published:
Management Review Quarterly Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose: During the last decade, studies on the theoretical models of mindful marketing and consumption have gained the attention of researchers due to the increased awareness concerning environmentalism among companies and consumers. Mindful marketing is about a balanced approach sans consumerism, and mindful consumption is about making informed choices for the well-being of society, businesses, and individuals. The purpose of the paper is to critically review the previous studies on mindfulness in marketing and consumption, identify the research gaps, provide directions for future research, and set a research agenda. Methodology: Framework-based systematic literature review is used for the review. The framework used is the TCCM (Theories, Contexts, Characteristics, and Methodology) (Paul J. et al. 2019). The study highlights the findings from prior studies to understand the theory development and compares the characteristics and contexts based on the framework used. The articles used in the study are from the period 2002–2022 from journals with an impact factor of more than 1.0 and indexed in Scopus and ABDC. The period of the last 20 years was chosen because research on mindfulness in marketing and consumption from the business perspective gained momentum during the last two decades. Findings: The study suggests that studies on mindful marketing and consumption focussed more on the development of sector-specific models. A universally accepted definition and conceptual understanding of mindful marketing and consumption are yet to be researched in future studies. The previous studies did not cover conceptual aspects of mindful marketing and consumption. There is an excellent scope for theoretical extension in this area as it covers almost three subjects: sustainability, marketing, and consumer behavior. Contribution: There is no review in the previous studies that have comprehensively explored the theoretical development, contexts, characteristics, and methodology based on all the articles published in the last two decades. The review seeks to delve deeper into the area of mindful marketing and consumption, which would help in the identification of research gaps and the development of the research agenda.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

All data analysed is from published, secondary sources available in the public domain.

References

  • Abbasi L, Akhlaghi-fard M (2021) The effectiveness of mindfulness training on ego-strength and meta-cognitive beliefs of students. J Social Sci Humanit Res 9(01):12–26

    Google Scholar 

  • Altizer C (2017) Mindfulness: performance, wellness, or fad?Strategic HR Review

  • Amel EL, Manning CM, Scott BA (2009) Mindfulness and sustainable behavior: pondering attention and awareness as means for increasing green behaviour. Ecopsychology 1(1):14–25

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Assadourian E (2008) Engaging communities for a sustainable world.State of the World,151–165

  • Bahl S, Milne GR, Ross SM, Mick DG, Grier SA, Chugani SK, Boesen-Mariani S (2016a) Mindfulness: its transformative potential for consumer, societal, and environmental well-being. J Public Policy Mark 35(2):198–210

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bahl S, Milne GR, Ross SM, Mick DG, Grier SA, Chugani SK, …, Boesen-Mariani S (2016b) Mindfulness: its transformative potential for consumer, societal, and environmental well-being. J Public Policy Mark 35(2):198–210

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barber NA, Deale C (2014) Tapping mindfulness to shape hotel guests’ sustainable behavior. Cornell Hospitality Quarterly 55(1):100–114

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barnes S, Brown KW, Krusemark E, Campbell WK, Rogge RD (2007) The role of mindfulness in romantic relationship satisfaction and responses to relationship stress. J Marital Fam Ther 33(4):482–500

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Booth J, Simpson R, Lawrence M, Byrne S, Mair F, Mercer S (2014) Mindfulness-based interventions in multiple sclerosis-a systematic reviews. BMC Neurol 14(1):1–9

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown KW, Ryan RM (2003) The benefits of being present: mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. J Personal Soc Psychol 84(4):822

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brunel F, Dong W (2006a) The role of Mindfulness in Consumer Behavior. ACR North American Advances

  • Brunel F, Dong W (2006b) The role of Mindfulness in Consumer Behavior. ACR North American Advances

  • Burgoon JK, Berger CR, Waldron VR (2000) Mindfulness and interpersonal communication. J Soc Issues 56(1):105–127

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chan RY (2001) Determinants of chinese consumers – green purchase behaviour. Psychol Mark 18(4):389–413

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crompton T, Kasser T (2009) Meeting environmental challenges: the role of human identity. WWF-UK, Godalming, UK, pp 1–93

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis DM, Hayes JA (2011) What are the benefits of mindfulness? A practice review of psychotherapy-related research. Psychotherapy 48(2):198

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DeVincenzo MH, Scammon D (2015) Principle-based consumption communities: exploring the meanings derived from socially conscious consumption practices. J Public Policy Mark 34(2):143–155

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dholakia U (2016) The little-known downsides of mindfulness practice. Psychology Today

  • Dimofte C (2010) Implicit measures of consumer cognition: a review. Psychol Mark 27(10):921–937

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dolan P (2009) Developing consumer subjectivity in Ireland: 1900–80. J Consumer Cult 9(1):117–141

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fraj E, Martinez E (2007) Ecological consumer behaviour: an empirical analysis. Int J consumer Stud 31(1):26–33

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goldstein J (2013) Mindfulness: a practical guide to awakening. Sounds True

  • Gordon JM, Schaller TK (2014) The role of mindfulness in entrepreneurial market analysis.Journal of Research in Marketing and Entrepreneurship

  • Grewal D, Roggeveen AL, Sisodia R, Nordfält J (2017) Enhancing customer engagement through consciousness. J Retail 93(1):55–64

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gupta S, Verma HV (2019a) Mindfulness, mindful consumption, and life satisfaction: an experiment with higher education students.Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education

  • Gupta S, Verma HV (2019b) Mindfulness, mindful consumption, and life satisfaction: an experiment with higher education students.Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education

  • Guranatana BH (2009) Beyond mindfulness in plain English. Somerville, MA: Wisdom Publications

  • Hagenbuch DJ, Mgrdichian LM (2020) Mindful marketing: a strategy-based, branded approach for encouraging ethical marketing. Mark Educ Rev 30(1):15–28

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanh, T. N. (1999). The blooming of a lotus: Guided meditation exercises for healing and transformation (p. 139). Beacon Press.

  • Hopwood B, Mellor M, O’Brien G (2005) Sustainable development: mapping different approaches. Sustain Dev 13(1):38–52

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jin Y, Zhang M, Wang Y, An J (2020) The relationship between trait mindfulness, loneliness, regulatory emotional self-efficacy, and subjective well-being. Pers Indiv Differ 154:109650

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson EJ, Weber EU (2009) Mindful judgment and decision making. Ann Rev Psychol 60:53–85

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kabat-Zinn J (2003) Mindfulness-based interventions in context: past, present, and future

  • Kadel L (2021) Mindfulness for sustainable consumption behaviour-insights into consumer culture

  • Kanter JW, Kohlenberg RJ, Tsai M, Parker CR (2009) Self and mindfulness. A guide to Functional Analytic Psychotherapy. Awareness, courage, love, and behaviorism, 103–130

  • Krägeloh CU (2016) Importance of morality in mindfulness practice. Couns Values 61(1):97–110

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Langer EJ (1989) Minding matters: the consequences of mindlessness–mindfulness. Advances in experimental social psychology, vol 22. Academic Press, pp 137–173

  • Li Y, Wei L, Zeng X, Zhu J (2021) Mindfulness in ethical consumption: the mediating roles of connectedness to nature and self-control.International Marketing Review

  • Lim WM (2017) Inside the sustainable consumption theoretical toolbox: critical concepts for sustainability, consumption, and marketing. J Bus Res 78:69–80

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lin YC, Chang CCA (2017) Exploring wasteful consumption. J Environ Psychol 49:106–111

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu W, Oosterveer P, Spaargaren G (2016) Promoting sustainable consumption in China: a conceptual framework and research review. J Clean Prod 134:13–21

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Malhotra NK, Lee OF, Uslay C (2012) Mind the gap: the mediating role of mindful marketing between market and quality orientations, their interaction, and consequences. International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management

  • Milne GR, Ordenes V, F., Kaplan B (2020) Mindful consumption: three consumer segment views. Australasian Mark J 28(1):3–10

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mohammad J, Quoquab F, Sadom NZM (2020) Mindful consumption of second-hand clothing: the role of eWOM, attitude and consumer engagement.Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International Journal

  • Mont O, Plepys A (2007) System perspective on service provision: a case of community-based washing centres for households. Int J Public Affairs 3:130–151

    Google Scholar 

  • My-Quyen MT, Hau LN, Thuy PN (2020) Mindful co-creation of transformative service for better well-being. Service Bus 14(3):413–437

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ndubisi NO (2012a) Mindfulness, quality and reliability in small and large firms.International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management

  • Ndubisi NO (2012b) Mindfulness, quality and reliability in small and large firms.International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management

  • Pandey A, Chandwani R, Navare A (2018) How can mindfulness enhance moral reasoning? An examination using business school students. Bus Ethics: Eur Rev 27(1):56–71

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paul J, Rosado-Serrano A (2019) Gradual internationalization vs Born-Global/International new venture models: a review and research agenda.International Marketing Review

  • Pharr JM (2015) A Research Agenda for Advancing the Marketer’s Understanding of Ethical Consumption in a Post-Modern World

  • Phipps M, Ozanne LK, Luchs MG, Subrahmanyan S, Kapitan S, Catlin JR, …, Weaver T (2013) Understanding the inherent complexity of sustainable consumption: a social cognitive framework. J Bus Res 66(8):1227–1234

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ranjan RK, Kushwaha R (2017) Impact of Green Marketing Strategies on Consumer Purchase Behaviour.Review of Management, 7

  • Rosenberg EL (2004) Mindfulness and consumerism

  • Sermboonsang R, Tansuhaj PS, Silpakit C, Chaisuwan C (2020) Mindfulness-based transformational learning for managing impulse buying. J Educ Bus 95(2):129–137

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sheth J (2017) Revitalizing relationship marketing.Journal of Services Marketing

  • Sheth JN, Sethia NK, Srinivas S (2011a) Mindful consumption: a customer-centric approach to sustainability. J Acad Mark Sci 39(1):21–39

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sheth JN, Sethia NK, Srinivas S (2011b) Mindful consumption: a customer-centric approach to sustainability. J Acad Mark Sci 39(1):21–39

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sinha NK, Kumar P, Priyadarshi P (2021a) Relating mindfulness to financial well-being through materialism: evidence from India.International Journal of Bank Marketing

  • Sinha NK, Kumar P, Priyadarshi P (2021b) Relating mindfulness to financial well-being through materialism: evidence from India.International Journal of Bank Marketing

  • Small C, Lew C (2021) Mindfulness, moral reasoning, and responsibility: towards virtue in ethical decision-making. J Bus Ethics 169(1):103–117

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stanszus L, Fischer D, Böhme T, Frank P, Fritzsche J, Geiger S, …, Schrader U (2017) Education for sustainable consumption through Mindfulness Training: development of a consumption-specific intervention. J teacher Educ Sustain 19(1):5–21

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sternberg E (2000) Just business: Business ethics in action

  • Ta A, Prybutok V (2018) A mindful product acceptance model. J Decis Syst 27(1):19–36

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tan Y, Gong Y, Xie J, Li J, Liu Y (2022) More mindfulness, less conspicuous consumption? Evidence from middle-aged chinese consumers. J Retailing Consumer Serv 69:103096

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Toffel MW (2004) Strategic management of product recovery. Calif Manag Rev 46(2):120–141

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tolba MK (ed) (2001) OUR FRAGILE WORLD: Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Development-Volume II. EOLSS Publications

  • Wamsler C, Brink E (2018) Mindsets for sustainability: exploring the link between mindfulness and sustainable climate adaptation. Ecol Econ 151:55–61

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weick KE, Sutcliffe KM (2007) Managing the unexpected: resilient performance in an age of uncertainty. Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, CA

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson AV, Bellezza S (2022) Consumer minimalism. J Consum Res 48(5):796–816

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zahid NM, Khan J, Tao M (2022) Exploring mindful consumption, ego involvement, and social norms influencing second-hand clothing purchases.Current Psychology,1–15

  • Zhu T (2014) How to execute mindful marketing? The role of intrafirm network.Journal of Research in Marketing and Entrepreneurship

Download references

Funding

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.”

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Uttaranchal Institute of Management, Uttaranchal University, Dehradun, India

    Rajeev Kumar

  2. Graphic Era hill University Dehradun (Uttarakhand), Dehradun, India

    Vineet Prabha

  3. School of Business, UPES, Dehradun (Uttarakhand), India

    Vikas Kumar

  4. International School of Business and Media, Pune, India

    Shubham Saxena

Authors
  1. Rajeev Kumar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Vineet Prabha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Vikas Kumar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Shubham Saxena
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rajeev Kumar.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interests

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship and/or publication of this article. The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Additional information

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Kumar, R., Prabha, V., Kumar, V. et al. Mindfulness in marketing & consumption: a review & research agenda. Manag Rev Q 74, 977–1001 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11301-023-00323-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11301-023-00323-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation