This study examines generational differences in sustainable consumption behaviour among Generations X, Y, and Z in Sweden and the Czech Republic. Using a survey-based approach with 370 Swedish respondents and comparative Czech data (n=703), the research investigates attitudes toward sustainability, perceived barriers, and purchasing preferences across three generational cohorts shaped by distinct socio-political contexts. Swedish respondents demonstrated significantly higher preference for products from sustainability-focused companies but lower general importance attributed to sustainable behaviour compared to Czech counterparts. Within Sweden, Kruskal-Wallis testing revealed minimal intergenerational variation, with only one statistically significant difference across 32 tested variables: Millennials showed greater agreement than Generation X that nothing prevents them from maintaining healthy lifestyles (p=0.030). Crossnational comparisons revealed substantially greater differences between Sweden and Czechia than between generational cohorts within Sweden. This pattern challenges age-based segmentation strategies and suggests that national institutional context outweighs generational effects in shaping sustainable consumption patterns. The findings indicate that mature sustainability markets characterised by high institutional trust and systemic support exhibit generational homogeneity, whilst transitional economies retain cohort-specific heterogeneity. Policy implications favour infrastructure-based universal interventions in stable contexts over age-targeted campaigns.
consumer behaviour, decision-making, generational differences, marketing communication, responsibility, sustainability