The impact of the circular economy on the pro-ecological behaviour of consumers in Russia

¹ Department of economic and mathematical modelling, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), 6 Miklukho-Maklaya Street, Moscow 117198, Russian Federation
² Economic dynamics and innovation management laboratory, V.A. Trapeznikov Institute of Control Sciences, Russian Academy of Sciences, 65 Profsoyuznaya Street, Moscow 117997, Russian Federation
³ Department of Management, GLS Institute of Business Administration, GLS University, Ahmedabad, India

^* Corresponding author: lazanyuk-iv@rudn.ru

Abstract

Russia is at the beginning of the development of a circular economy (CE). The development of pro-ecological behavior is one of the main goals to transition to circular patterns of production and consumption. The lack of readiness of technologies and infrastructure to support consumer behavior patterns can inhibit pro-ecological consumer patterns. However, world experience shows that cultural and economic barriers have the most significant impact on which of the practices of pro-environmental behavior are spreading and which are not. The study aims to analyze the reasons for the popularity and unpopularity of the patterns of pro-ecological behavior among Russia’s population. The research methodology is based on a developed questionnaire of 57 practices and aimed at assessing consumer responsiveness in pro-environmental behavior. The processing of the survey results carried out using descriptive and nonparametric statistics. This study argued that widespread adoption of circular economy approaches would require profound changes in manufacturing practices and consumption patterns. The results showed that environmental competence is influenced by external and internal factors that can coordinate the education process.