Autonomy over Ownership? Examining Psychological Drivers of UK Consumers’ Everyday Fashion Rental 

Abstract

While fashion rental is a sustainable alternative to ownership, low consumer uptake threatens its viability. Fashion rental platforms, currently dominated by luxury and high-end brands, have struggled to go mainstream and expand into everyday clothing. Using the novel lens of Basic Psychological Needs Theory, this mixed-method study explores to what extent renting everyday clothes can fulfil human needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness). Study 1 comprises focus groups and interviews, whilst Study 2 will comprise an online survey with UK consumers. Study 1 findings reveal that autonomy needs, followed by competence, are significant drivers for renting clothes for both renters and non-renters. Relatedness needs are least associated with renting clothes. Failure to satisfy autonomy needs might be a key inhibitor for consumers to adopt everyday clothing rental. This research offers insights for rental businesses on how to align services with core human psychological drivers. 

The host at the School of Economics and Business is Vesna Žabkar PhD.

We anticipate your attendance at the seminar with pleasure and appreciate your participation.