Carbon footprint tracking apps. What drives consumers' adoption intention?

To help decelerate the dramatic climate change consumers have to reduce their carbon emissions. As consumers are often unaware of their carbon footprint in their daily consumption, apps that track individual consumption and report the emissions caused can help consumers control and reduce their carbon footprint. The present article tests whether consumers would be willing to adopt these apps. The paper suggests that expected hedonic, social, and utilitarian benefits drive the intention to adopt carbon footprint tracking apps. However, the impact of the utilitarian benefits, which is operationalized as the technology as solution belief, is moderated by the extent to which consumers perceive transaction costs when using the app, namely their perception of the ease of use and their readiness to share their private data. An empirical study based on survey data supports these assumptions. Implications for policymakers, app designers, and marketers are given.

Automated summary

To combat climate change, consumers should reduce their carbon emissions. Apps that track and report individual consumption can help consumers control and decrease their carbon footprint. This study finds that expected hedonic, social, and utilitarian benefits drive consumers' intention to adopt carbon footprint tracking apps. However, the impact of utilitarian benefits is influenced by consumers' perception of transaction costs, such as ease of use and willingness to share private data.