Expanding consumer mindfulness for collective sustainable well-being: Overview of the special issue and future research directions

Abstract

This special issue focuses on the potential of mindfulness to enhance consumer well-being. While various disciplines have investigated the psychological and physiological benefits of mindfulness, its potential for consumer well-being remains largely underexplored. Moreover, there have been concerns about the efficacy of secular mindfulness, which is being criticized for its limited focus on non-judgmental awareness while neglecting its original contemplative and ethical foundations. This omission is especially problematic when considering mindfulness as an intervention for issues such as overconsumption, addictions, and other harmful habits impacting individuals, society, and the environment. This introductory article expands the definition of consumer well-being to prioritize the positive feelings and effective functioning of groups and ecosystems over short-term individual benefits, summarizes the eight articles in the issue, identifies six themes that broaden the scope of mindfulness, and presents a framework for exploring how the special issue articles and future research can promote collective sustainable well-being.