Toward a theory of mindful consumption under uncertainty

Abstract

PURPOSE: Contemporary consumption increasingly unfolds under conditions of uncertainty. Although prior consumer research has examined mindful consumption, sustainability, resilience, and anti-consumption independently, limited theoretical attention has been devoted to understanding mindful consumption as an adaptive response to uncertainty. This article develops a conceptual theory of Mindful Consumption Under Uncertainty (MCUU), defined as a reflexive and adaptive consumption orientation through which consumers intentionally regulate acquisition, usage, and meaning-making practices in response to perceived instability and vulnerability.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: Drawing on uncertainty management theory, mindfulness theory, consumer culture theory, and behavioral decision research, the article develops an integrative conceptual framework explaining how uncertainty triggers reflexive reassessment, adaptive simplification, resilience-oriented consumption, and value reconfiguration. The paper further proposes a methodological agenda for future empirical investigation through mixed-method approaches, including phenomenology, digital ethnography, experimental designs, and longitudinal analysis.

FINDINGS: The proposed framework suggests that uncertainty functions as a catalyst for more intentional and reflexive consumption practices. Consumers respond to perceived instability by simplifying consumption patterns, prioritizing resilience and psychological security, and redefining consumption values beyond material acquisition. The study positions mindful consumption as a dynamic coping and adaptation mechanism rather than solely an ethical or wellness-oriented practice.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: This article reconceptualizes mindful consumption as an uncertainty-responsive market logic and advances a novel theoretical perspective linking mindfulness, uncertainty, and adaptive consumer behavior.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The study contributes to consumer research, sustainability studies, and marketing theory while offering implications for consumer well-being, resilience, and marketplace governance.