Sufficiency and consumer behavior

Along with efficiency and consistency, sufficiency is one of the main pillars of sustainable development. Individual and collective consumer behavior determines how sufficient a society is. Sufficiency is also a promising supplement to numerous efficiency measures that do not develop their full potential impact due to rebound effects.

The implementation of sufficiency measures is not easy. The issue of sufficiency seems to challenge modern-day consumer behavior and economic growth, although it mainly offers opportunities. By shifting consumption patterns from energy- or resource-intensive activities to those requiring lower levels of consumption, sufficiency can lead to solutions that are compatible with prosperity and are highly innovative. This is due  part to the fact that sufficient consumer behavior requires greater emphasis on high-quality and locally produced goods and services.

Our services in the area of sufficiency include:

  • Determining the potential of sufficiency measures in terms of energy and resource use
  • Analysis of the impacts of existing incentive systems, and design of new ones
  • Analysis of consumer behavior, and calculation of the associated resource and energy requirements
  • Opportunities and risks of the sufficiency concept for the economy
  • Recommendations for action for authorities, planners and industry
  • Development of communication concepts
  • Implementation of and support for sufficiency measures, such as information events or web-based platforms