The role of environmental concern in explaining attitude towards second-hand shopping

Objective: The objective of the article is to examine the role which environmental concern plays in explaining the attitude towards second-hand shopping and the intention to visit a second-hand shop. Research Design & Methods: Norm Activation Model including an additional variable – environmental concern, was applied as a main theoretical framework. The research was conducted in Spain and in Poland. Data were collected in 2019 on 403 respondents in Spain and 438 in Poland by CAWI method and processed with SEM. Findings: The research revealed that the influence of environmental concern on the attitude towards second-hand shopping (AT) is higher in Spain than in Poland but the impact of ascription of responsibility for environmental issues on AT is on a low level in both countries. The influence of awareness of consequences (of SHS for the environment) on AT is on the similar level in both countries and it explains AT the greatest. Attitude towards second-hand shopping explains the intention to visit a second-hand shop to a higher degree in Poland compared to Spain. Implications & Recommendations: Giving products a second life supports circular economy development but it requires a positive attitude of individuals which may be built to the greatest degree by strengthening the ascription of responsibility for the environment. Contribution & Value Added: Filling the gap in the literature, this research aimed to develop a model explaining the impact of the environmental concern on individuals’ attitude toward second-hand shopping.