Who Knows, Cares and Acts for Sustainability in Times of Uncertainty? Demographic Differences in Perceived Knowledge, Concerns, and Pro-Environmental Behaviors

In 2026, some years after the Covid-19 pandemic and the related economic crisis, the global landscape remains profoundly unsettled. Geopolitical conflicts, such as the war between Russia and Ukraine and the Middle East conflicts, continue to drive instability, reshaping global priorities and challenges. At the same time, the intensifying climate emergency and rising environmental pressures are having increasingly severe consequences for human life. Following the Knowledge-Attitude-Behavior framework and drawing on Gender Socialization theory and the Life Course perspective, this study examines how consumers' perceived knowledge and concerns related to major global issues (health, economic, geopolitical, and environmental) as well as sustainable consumer behavior (in terms of sustainable product purchases and other pro-environmental behaviors) differ across demographic groups, based on gender and age. Data were collected through a survey conducted on 1324 Italian consumers between April and July 2024. Significant differences are evaluated using statistical tests (Kruskal-Wallis, Dunn's test with Bonferroni adjustment), revealing differences across gender and age groups in all the dimensions analyzed. The results contribute to the literature on sustainable consumer behavior and advance knowledge in the Gender Socialization theory and the Life Course perspective. The study also provides key insights for managers and policymakers.