YOUTH 2020 - The position of young people in Slovenia

Consumer behaviour and consumer activities  305 Table 9.1: Gap between attitudes and interests in shopping among young people (15-29,%), 2010-2020. Protecting nature To live in a clean environment Material goods Not at all important 0.9 0.4 1.2 Not important 3.1 1.8 9.9 Neither important nor unimportant 11.8 8.6 35.7 Important 45.6 44.5 41.3 Very important 38.5 44.6 11.8 Source: Mladina 2020. There are many similar examples of declarative positions relating to con- sumption and other indirect forms of reducing consumption through the application of sustainable development principles. For example, the data show that the majority of young people who stated that ‘due to en- vironmental problems they minimise their consumption/purchases to only what they really need’ also rate ‘material goods’ as important or very important. As many as 38.6% and 40.1% of young people who ex- pressed concern for the environment by minimising their consumption/ purchases also expressed the (high) importance of material goods in their lives. Similarly, 40.9% and 39.9% of young people who stated that they ‘buy local products that are not transported over long distances whenever possible’ also expressed the (high) importance of material goods in their lives. 56.3% of those who say they go to a shopping centre 1-3 times a week also say that, ‘due to environmental problems, they minimise their consumption/purchases to only what they really need’. 58.3% of those who say they go to the shopping centre 1-3 times a week also say that ‘if possible, they buy local products that are not transported over long distances’.