sustainability Article Purchase and Use of New Technologies among Young People: Guidelines for Sustainable Consumption Education Genina Calafell 1,2 , Neus Banqué 1,2 and Salvador Viciana 2,3, * 1 Complex Research Group, Department of Mathematics and Science Education, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, G5-126 Campus UAB-Bellaterra, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain; genina.calafell@uab.cat (G.C.); Neus@rizomaedu.com (N.B.) 2 Rizoma Educació Transferència de Coneixement, spin-off of the Autonomous University of Barcelona, Carrer de l’Àngel, 10, 08012 Barcelona, Spain 3 Catalonia School of Consumer Affairs, Catalan Consumer Agency, Generalitat de Catalunya, Carrer de Pamplona, 113, 08018 Barcelona, Spain * Correspondence: Genina.calafell@uab.cat or Aula.consum@gencat.cat; Tel.: +34-93-581-3203; Fax: +34-93-581-1169  Received: 30 January 2019; Accepted: 7 March 2019; Published: 14 March 2019  Abstract: Traditional consumer education (CE), aimed at providing information and guidance to young people, has become insufficient to take on the challenges posed by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDG 12. Knowledge of youth’s habits as consumers today and citizens of the future becomes essential for defining the most suitable methodological contents and strategies for effective and sustainable CE. This premise was the inception for our research project on the consumption of young people, focusing on the acquisition, purchase, and use of new technologies. Data were obtained from a sample of 994 young people who participated in activities at the Consumption School of Catalonia and completed a questionnaire. The main results revealed that young people did not include sustainability criteria in their use or purchase of technological devices, especially mobile phones: the replacement rate for mobiles was very high (1, 2, or 3 years) and the most important purchase criteria were price, technical features, and brand. These results highlight the need to propose a new kind of CE that challenges the young to think about and adopt consumption methods adopting a contextual, constructive, and complex perspective. Keywords: consumption education; sustainability education; new technologies; complexity; youth consumption behaviour; knowledge-generating questions 1. Introduction Consumption is present in almost all of our actions today, such as washing our face, making a phone call, or turning on a light. Faced with such a ubiquitous phenomenon, both political and legislative measures are necessary and important to protect consumers’ rights and duties, such as consumer education (CE), which aims to increase citizens’ awareness of their own condition as consumers. Consumer education has traditionally been based on the transfer of information to educate responsible consumers [1,2]. This education has been particularly centred on informing consumers of their rights and duties, the content of product labels, and the mechanisms and strategies employed in advertising, among other recurrent topics. Informative CE that provides closed instructions about everything that consumers need to do is not enough to handle the global and planetary challenges that citizens will face in the future. In order to urgently respond to the new scenario described by the Sustainability 2019, 11, 1541; doi:10.3390/su11061541 www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability Sustainability 2019, 11, 1541 2 of 15 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for 2030 [3], CE must be reconsidered, introducing teaching methods that put the focus on young consumers, who will shape society in the future. This viewpoint makes it crucial to identify youth’s criteria and habits of consumption in order to understand the individual and peer lifestyle options that influence them. Knowledge of these habits will empower young people to assume responsibility for the environmental and social impact of their consumer behaviour and to question new social and cultural consumption and production methods in future settings [3]. Knowledge of the ways in which young people consume will allow us to define objectives, contents, and methodologies more pertinent to their daily lives and reality, and thus develop sustainable CE that is effective. In parallel, topics involving contents and methodologies will let teachers incorporate the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12 into school activities, curriculums, and education studies. This research focused on identifying the consumption habits of the young regarding a daily issue that is highly significant to them: the purchase, use, and handling of new technologies (New Information and Communication Technology, NICTs). This study aimed to deeply examine youth’s virtual reality and their ways of consuming NICTs in order to propose guidance for CE and sustainability to work towards new ways of thinking, doing, and evaluating. This contribution could then enrich the document on educational learning objectives of the SDGs, in particular with regard to education on responsible consumption and production [4]. Literature advocating and criticising new technologies and youth is extensive and wide-ranging [5]. The present study does not seek to take a stance either for or against NICTs, but instead aimed to discover how young people consume NICTs based on three core questions: • What presence do technological devices have in young people’s lives? • What role do young people have in buying technological devices? • What use do young people make of the virtual world and what types of virtual spaces do they visit? New technologies, a change in the consumption model The presence of new technologies and the access to virtual reality in our daily lives has skyrocketed at a dizzying pace in recent years. At present, NICTs provide us with products and services useful in the home, workplace, and social and leisure spaces [6]; consequently, they change what is consumed and also how it is consumed. The presence of NICTs in consumption has not increased homogeneously among the entire population, but has had a much more intense impact among the young [7]. Therefore, young people are considered digital natives, easily developing and quickly acquiring skills to live in the technological and virtual world [7,8]. Via virtual reality, young people have created action strategies and shared communication and relational codes to which adults do not always have access [9]. This fact shapes a scenario in which the young are technology experts to a much greater degree than adults, creating what is known as the digital divide [10], between digital natives and digital immigrants. In NICT and virtual reality, the young find means to connect, communicate, learn, and satisfy their curiosity and leisure and entertainment needs, which are extraordinarily important in their daily lives [11]. The everyday presence of virtual reality in youth’s social functions has changed their lifestyles [8] and the way they construct cultural meanings. Via NICT and virtual reality, the young apparently become social, cultural, and knowledge producers, as they share and put their private lives into the public sphere, as well as their experiential know-how and knowledge acquisition [12]. This situation generates the need for educational institutions, teachers, and educators to rethink how to provide consumer education for young people, who are the main group targeted for the consumption of new technologies and virtual reality. Youth’s consumption of new technologies has entailed their managing a large amount of information and, in parallel, accessing new possibilities to communicate and connect between Sustainability 2019, 11, 1541 3 of 15 individuals and groups [8], from a more horizontal and global perspective [13] in which all users can be both senders and recipients. Communication and social relationships have become an essential act, and the individualism typical of modernity seems to be changing into a new movement in search of community [14]. Enormous information storage and dissemination capacities have facilitated the emergence of an information society, namely, a society that is structured around data production, processing, and transmission [13]. In the information society, there is a huge amount and diversity of data, which are spread surpassing all temporal and spatial limits, as well as greater interactivity [15]. Virtual reality is shaped as a stage for creativity shored up by real foundations [16], but that are developed through specific rules. It is an open world with a great creative capacity, put into the hands of increasingly more people. Another primordial feature of NICT for accessing virtual reality is its immediacy and transience. Unlike other technologies or means of communication, the NICT to access to virtual reality provide accounts that change instantly. Connectivity and coproduction is fast and seductive for young people. The consumption of new technologies, with their social interactions and multidimensional networks, produces a new consumption logic that debunks modern consumption, called hyperconsumption [17]. Hyperconsumption establishes a new social and historical layout that is the outcome of the consumer society and mass consumption. Hyperconsumers use the internet to compare, research, analyse, reflect, and orient their desires toward that which most satisfies them. This consumer is erratic, nomadic, volatile, unpredictable, fragmented, and deregulated, as s/he is a subject freed from class standards and habits, from the weight of conventions, culture, and rules. S/he is also wary and unfaithful, since s/he is also freed from loyalty to a brand. Modern-day consumers connected to the web actively guide and manage their personal journeys through the options that the consumer scenario poses to them and, via their decisions, they act as extremely valuable content producers to establish demand trends. These consumers are interactive, both consuming and producing information. Via the web, they find out about offers, share their consumer preferences and latest purchases, and much more. From here, the figure of the ‘prosumer’ emerges [18], a melding of consumer and producer, from the viewpoint of information and contents. The prosumer persona is a paradigmatic role in a new techno-social setting based on interactivity, in which information is both engine and product. Young people become prosumers and hyperconsumers in the virtual world and as consumers of new technologies, creating a lifestyle (social, cultural, and financial) that reveals a transition from the big events typical of modernity toward new paradigms [19]. These new models are structured around changes in the conception of time and space and the meaning of collective action and authority [20], among others. This new model of understanding, relating to, and connecting with the world cannot exclude a perspective of social ethics, ecological values, and shared responsibility. Thus, this challenge cannot do without CE with a vision that incorporates new sustainable development goals. Context of research: Consumption School of Catalonia The Consumption School of Catalonia (ECC for its Catalan acronym) reports to the Catalan Consumer Agency, an independent institution of the Catalan government whose main purpose is to guarantee the rights of citizens as consumers. The ECC was created in 2003 and is a public and free service that aims to favour and maximise the presence of CE within the Catalan educational setting. The objectives of the ECC are to: • Establish a permanent working space for consumer education in Catalonia • Assist the Catalan student population to access CE • Facilitate the inclusion of CE in curriculums at different stages of the education system To meet these objectives, the ECC proposes hosting educational workshops, promoting methodological innovation, and conducting research on the consumption habits of Catalan youth. Sustainability 2019, 11, 1541 4 of 15 • Educational workshops: On a daily basis, a team of educators offers activities that let students reflect on and gain greater knowledge of different topics related to daily consumption actions. The ECC’s educational offer involves a series of activities for students from 6 to 18 years old, seminars to train teachers, activities for students with special educational needs, and workshops for families. • Methodological innovation: The education team studies new ways to introduce CE into the school curriculum. At present, it is working on the role of questions as an engine for learning, adding art to activities, and creating hybrid and interdisciplinary spaces. • Research on consumer habits: Descriptive research studies aim to deepen knowledge of the consumption habits of the youth in Catalonia, propose or improve upon educational workshops, and advance toward new focuses for teachers to work with CE. The confluence of these three fields (teaching, research, and education) means that CE is shaped as a space in which research enriches daily education actions through constant innovation. This approach will constantly evolve, with the aim to stimulate the presence of consumer education in curriculums at different education stages and areas. 2. Materials and Methods 2.1. Design The research is underpinned by the interpretative paradigm, as its purpose is to know and interpret reality in the way subjects understand it in their study context [21], in this particular case, in relation to youth’s consumption habits of new technologies (purchase, use, and handing). The research aimed to explore and explain the lived reality of participants, who were young people between 12 and 16 years undertaking activities at the Consumption School of Catalonia. The ECC as a research context gives meaning to the focus of the study, namely new technologies [22]. In this sense, the research aimed to describe and understand young people’s reality and different perspectives and meanings in relation to new technologies, in order to establish networks of relationships taking into account the context and incorporating their social construction [23]. More specifically, the research was a descriptive study using a questionnaire as the main data collection method. The selection of this method was appropriate because the research needed to an instrument that helped to: (a) produce data in a structured way to facilitate decision-making; (b) involve youth as self-reporters; (c) ensure precision in the process of responding to the questions [24]. The descriptive research is cross-sectional, as it plans to describe the characteristics of the population at a specific time, starting with the selection of a sample. The purpose of our research was to identify youth’s consumption habits in order to obtain corroborated data so that CE activities can be developed and informative and educational policies can be designed within the framework of the Consumption School and the Catalan Consumer Agency. 2.2. Selection and Participants The sample for our study comprised 944 students who participated during one academic year (September to June) in an activity offered by the Consumption School of Catalonia. The criterion for selecting the sample was random and gender and age percentages were statistically balanced (Tables 1 and 2). Table 1. Sample (944 students) distribution and percentage by gender. Boys Girls 49.8% 50.2% Sustainability 2019, 11, 1541 5 of 15 Table 2. Sample (944 students) distribution and percentage by age. 10–11 Years 11–12 Years 12–13 Years 13–14 Years 14–15 Years 15–16 Years Old Old Old Old Old Old 17.9% 16.3% 17.3% 16.9% 16.2% 15.4% Sustainability 2019, 11, x FOR PEER REVIEW 5 of 15 2.3. Data Collection Instrument 2.3. Data Collection Instrument Data were collected by distributing a questionnaire (Figure 1) at an ECC educational activity, in whichData were collected the young by distributing people reflected on theirarelationship questionnaire (Figure 1) atconsumption. to technology an ECC educational activity, in The questionnaire which was the young designed people areflected through on their validation and relationship to technology reformulation process inconsumption. the framework Theofquestionnaire a pilot test. was designed through a validation and reformulation process in the framework of a pilot This process ensured the functionality of the questionnaire with respect to the outlined objectives test. This process ensured the functionality of the questionnaire with respect to the outlined objectives and its consequent validity. The questionnaire contained dichotomous questions with two possible and its consequent answers, validity. closed The questionnaire multiple contained choice questions, dichotomous and open questions.questions with two possible The questionnaire answers, was divided into closed multiple three blocks: choice questions, and open questions. The questionnaire was divided into three blocks: Block 1: Issues related to the technological devices that young people have Block 1: Issues related to the technological devices that young people have Block 2: Purchase characteristics of technological devices Block 2: Purchase characteristics of technological devices Block 3: Use of devices in the virtual environment Block 3: Use of devices in the virtual environment Boy Girl Age: ______________ Years old: ________ What technological devices do you have? Phone The last Phone you had ... Yes Did you buy it? Yes No Did you choose it? Yes No How much did it I do not know It cost me _________ No cost? How old were you when you had your When I enter the virtual world from the Internet .... first phone? How many phones have you had? Usually is for _________________ and / or __________________ computer The last computer you had ... Was: Family For my own Yes I do so from: Did you buy it? Yes No Did you choose it? Yes No (Choose one or more options) How much did it cost? I do not know It cost me _________ No At what age did you have your first computer? How many computers have you had? Phone other computer The last ............. you had ... Yes Did you buy it? Yes No Did you choose it? Yes No How much it cost? I do not know It cost me _________ other No How old were you when you had your first ...? Web applications most important for me in order of priority are: How many ... have you had? Clarification: these applications or websites can be important because you use them frequently and/or have a lot of value for you. What would you consider if you have to buy.... 1a.________________________________________________ ... a mobile: 2nd.______________________________________________ 3a. _______________________________________________ 4a. _______________________________________________ ... a computer: 5a. _______________________________________________ (a) (b) Figure Figure 1. with questionnaire 1. Worksheet with questionnaire for fordata datacollection: collection:(a) (a)part partone oneofofworksheet; worksheet;(b)(b) part part two two of of worksheet. worksheet. 2.4. Data Analysis 2.4. Data Analysis Data processing involved the statistical analysis of answers to the dichotomous multiple-choice Data processing involved the statistical analysis of answers to the dichotomous multiple-choice questions in Block 1. The open responses from Blocks 2 and 3 were classified before handling questions in Block 1. The open responses from Blocks 2 and 3 were classified before handling them them statistically. statistically. Students’ qualitative responses from Block 2 (i.e., features considered when buying their own Students’ qualitative responses from Block 2 (i.e., features considered when buying their own mobile and/or computer) were analysed by using the analysis categories referring to youth’s purchase mobile and/or computer) were analysed by using the analysis categories referring to youth’s criteria when buying a mobile/computer [25] (Table 3). Qualitative data were reduced to quantitative purchase criteria when buying a mobile/computer [25] (Table 3). Qualitative data were reduced to data, which allowed for later statistical processing. quantitative data, which allowed for later statistical processing. Sustainability 2019, 11, 1541 6 of 15 Table 3. Data classification tool according to the purchase criteria of youth. Category Description Each of the items that make up the technological device (screen size, memory and Technical characteristics storage capacity, operating system, processor, graphics card, resolution, etc.) Each of the items that complete the device and its functions, but are not essential Accessories (Bluetooth, games, type of screen, keyboard and camera, etc.) Issues that help to decide whether the device is good or bad and will be Quality long-lasting and not break Aesthetic Visual appearance, without personal judgement (colour, shape, appearance) Weight and size Issues related to weight and volume Tastes Youth’s subjective opinions Need Personal judgement on how they will use it Practicality Issues related to how the device operates, linked to use in youth’s daily lives Price Cost of product Promotions Offers to induce sales Warranty Issues related to ensuring that the product operates well Brand Issues related to the brand Model Issues related with some precision to each brand’s different ‘versions’ Style Modernity of the device Trend Issues related to the supply and demand linked to social features Other people’s opinion Tips and recommendations from people around them Originality Issues related to how this device is different from others Blank No criterion Miscellaneous Other The qualitative data from Section 3 (i.e., most important web apps) were classified by using the tool proposed by the study of youth’s internet habits and use conducted by the Ministry of Interior [26] (Table 4). Table 4. Data classification tool according to web applications viewed by youth. Categories of Web Apps Used Work/study Search for information Videos/series/music Instant messaging Social media Email Downloads News/current events Online gaming Web applications Leisure and entertainment Buying Search engines Purchases Sports Information Games TV and radio Chats Other Sustainability 2019, 11, Sustainability 2019, 11, 1541 x FOR PEER REVIEW 77 of of 15 15 The statistical analysis of the data was conducted by the Statistics Department at the The statistical analysis of the data was conducted by the Statistics Department at the Autonomous Autonomous University of Barcelona. The reading, handling, validation, and statistical analysis of University of Barcelona. The reading, handling, validation, and statistical analysis of the database the database were conducted using the software SAS V9.1 (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA). were conducted using the software SAS V9.1 (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA). Statistical decisions Statistical decisions employed a significance level of 0.05. A descriptive analysis of the sample using employed a significance level of 0.05. A descriptive analysis of the sample using percentages and percentages and frequencies was conducted. From this, the most significant results that responded frequencies was conducted. From this, the most significant results that responded to the questions to the questions asked were selected and then graphically represented using bar and pie charts. The asked were selected and then graphically represented using bar and pie charts. The sum of all sum of all percentages was often greater than 100% because each student could choose more than percentages was often greater than 100% because each student could choose more than one response one response or refer to more than one criterion in their answers. When depicting and interpreting or refer to more than one criterion in their answers. When depicting and interpreting the results, the the results, the average was also used. average was also used. 3. Results and Discussion 3. Results and Discussion The results of youth’s consumption habits regarding new technologies are shown differentiating The results of youth’s consumption habits regarding new technologies are shown differentiating the three questions formulated. the three questions formulated. 3.1. What 3.1. What Presence Presence Do Technological Devices Do Technological Devices Have Have in in Young YoungPeople’s People’sLives? Lives? To identify To identify the the presence presence of of technological technological devices devices among among young young people, people, results results were were obtained obtained with regard to the technological devices possessed (Section 3.1.1), their ages when they first obtained with regard to the technological devices possessed (Section 3.1.1), their ages when they first obtained the technological the technological devices devices they they most had (Section most had (Section 3.1.2), 3.1.2), and and the the number number (replacement (replacement rate) of these rate) of these technological devices (Section 3.1.3). technological devices (Section 3.1.3). 3.1.1. Which WhichTechnological TechnologicalDevices DevicesDoDo Young People Young Have? People Have? The results obtained reveal that the majority of young students had two devices that are relevant and significant in their daily lives, namely computer and mobile phone, as over 80% of the students reported having reported havingthese thesedevices devices (Figure (Figure 2). 2). In addition In addition to computer to computer and mobile, and mobile, students students also also had had tablets tablets and game consoles. These results are important for specifying which technological and game consoles. These results are important for specifying which technological devices should be devices should the bewhen focus the focus when for searching searching results for with results regardwith regard to ages andtoreplacement ages and replacement rates. rates. The technological devices the young have (10-16 years old) Other devices 100 2,80 % 8,40 % 90 17,10 % 3,00 % 10,20 % 80 70 38,00 % Console 60 No Tablet 50 Yes Player 97,20 % 91,60 % 40 82,90 % Others 30 48,80 % 20 10 0 Phone Computer Others * Figure 2. Figure Charts of 2. Charts of percentages percentages of of technological technological devices devices that that young young people people have have (10–16 (10–16 years years old). old). 3.1.2. How Old Were Young People When They Obtained Their First Mobiles and Computers? 3.1.2. How Old Were Young People When They Obtained Their First Mobiles and Computers? Figure 3 shows that almost all students had computers and there was not much difference in Figure 3 shows that almost all students had computers and there was not much difference in ages. For mobile phones, the trend of having one grows as the young person gets older and then, from ages. For mobile phones, the trend of having one grows as the young person gets older and then, thirteen years old it doesn’t change. from thirteen years old it doesn’t change. Sustainability 2019, 11, 1541 8 of 15 Sustainability 2019, 11, x FOR PEER REVIEW 8 of 15 15-16 years old 14-15 years old 13-14 years old 12-13 years old 11-12 years old 10-11 years old 92,96 99,33 99,37 Computer 98,15 98,03 95,27 96,48 98,68 95,60 Mobile phone 80,98 60,78 67,26 0,00 10,00 20,00 30,00 40,00 50,00 60,00 70,00 80,00 90,00 100,00 Figure3.3.Chart Figure Chartof ofpercentages percentages of of technological devices that technological devices thatyoung youngpeople peoplehave haveby byage. age. These Theseresults results indicate indicate thatthatthe thecomputer computer is aiscommon a common technological technological device device in youth’s in youth’s daily daily lives, lives, possibly because this device has been added and normalised possibly because this device has been added and normalised within the family, which in many within the family, which in many households householdsbecomes becomes an an electrical electrical appliance appliance of of similar similar importance importanceand andscope scopetotoothers otherssuch suchasasthe the television. This coincides with the report de ‘la sociedad en red’ [27], stating television. This coincides with the report de ‘la sociedad en red’ [27], stating that in 2016 the computer that in 2016 the computer started startedtotoreplace replacethe thetelevision television as as the the technological equipmentmost technological equipment mostpresent presentininSpanish Spanishhouseholds. households. Perhaps Perhapsthe thefact factthat thatthethecomputer computer is is aa technological technological devicedevice conceived conceivedmore moreas asfamily-based family-basedand and collective compared to the mobile phone, which is individual and collective compared to the mobile phone, which individual and personal, means that young people personal, means that young people from fromthe theageage ofof 1010have have a computer a computer forfor either eitherprivate privateor or family family useuse andandthisthis situation continues situation continues as they as grow they older. grow older. AsAsforforthe themobile mobilephone, phone,behaviour behaviour is very different,different, as as itit does doesnot nothave havegeneralised generalisedimmersion immersion ininyoung youngpeople’s people’s lives untiluntil they theyare are1313years years ofof age. age. ThisThis resultresult is corroborated is corroborated by thebyresults the results of ourof research, our research, whichwhichfound found an an average average of of 11 11years years ofofage. age.ThisThis is isininagreement agreementwith withother otherstudies studies conductedininthe conducted theautonomous autonomous communitycommunity of Catalonia Catalonia [28] [28] andand Spain Spainas asaawhole, whole,which whichestablish establish thatthe that theyoung youngget gettheir theirfirst first mobile mobile at at 10.3 10.3 years old, old, and and thethe Spanish SpanishNational NationalStatistics StatisticsInstitute, Institute, whichstates which statesthatthatyoung youngpeople peoplehave havetheir their first first mobile between 11 11 and and12 12years yearsofofage. age.Changing Changingfrom from primarytotosecondary primary secondaryschool, school,which which in in Spanish Spanish education education takestakesplaceplacebetween between11 11and and1212years yearsofofage, age, seems to be one of the main factors that would explain this result. Families associate the changeinin seems to be one of the main factors that would explain this result. Families associate the change schoolswith schools withyoung youngpeople’s people’ssocialisation socialisation with with thethe mobile mobile and,and,further, further,parents parentsoften oftenseek seekthe thesecurity security and assurance of knowing how to locate and get in touch and assurance of knowing how to locate and get in touch with their children [29]. with their children [29]. Froman From aneducational educationalviewpoint, viewpoint, anthropologists, anthropologists, educators, educators, and andsociologists sociologistsseemseemtotosomewhat somewhat agree in recommending first mobile phones when youth are between 14 and 15 yearsold agree in recommending first mobile phones when youth are between 14 and 15 years oldand andmature mature enough to handle their phones autonomously, enough to handle their phones autonomously, responsibly, and healthily. responsibly, and healthily. ItItmay may seem paradoxical that young people, on the one hand, view their mobile phones as a sign seem paradoxical that young people, on the one hand, view their mobile phones as a sign and status of getting older and independent, and managing their own free time, while on the other and status of getting older and independent, and managing their own free time, while on the other hand, the main reason why parents buy them mobiles is to feel a sense of security and control over hand, the main reason why parents buy them mobiles is to feel a sense of security and control over their children [29]. Faced with this paradox, it is important to seek educational strategies to educate their children [29]. Faced with this paradox, it is important to seek educational strategies to educate both young people and families to identify the purchase of the first mobile so it is not so associated both young people and families to identify the purchase of the first mobile so it is not so associated with an ideal age, but instead with a suitable context that considers a balance between the young with an ideal age, but instead with a suitable context that considers a balance between the young person’s personal maturity level and the school and family settings. person’s personal maturity level and the school and family settings. Sustainability 2019, 11, 1541 9 of 15 Sustainability 2019, 11, x FOR PEER REVIEW 9 of 15 3.1.3. How 3.1.3. How Many Many Technological Devices Do Technological Devices Do Young Young People People Have? Have? (Mobile Replacement Rate) (Mobile Replacement Rate) The average The number of average number of devices devices that that young young people people have have had had is is 22 for for all all cases, cases, although although regarding regarding mobile phones, the majority have had 3 or 4 over the course of time (i.e., they mobile phones, the majority have had 3 or 4 over the course of time (i.e., they change change them them more more frequently), which was higher than the results for upgrading computers (Figure frequently), which was higher than the results for upgrading computers (Figure 4). 4). Number of technological devices they have had 100 90 80 70 1 device 60 2 device 50 3 - 4 devices 38,40 > 4 devices 40 32,10 29,10 30 27,20 25,20 24,20 20 16,40 10 7,30 0 phone computer Figure 4. Chart with percentages of number of technological devices that young people have had. Figure 4. Chart with percentages of number of technological devices that young people have had. When looking at the average results (Table 5), we can see that young people have had 2 mobile When phones andlooking at the The 3 computers. average results results (Table reveal 5), wethan that more canhalf see that young of young people people have had change their2mobiles mobile phones and 3 computers. The results reveal that more than half of young people change within 2 years, and computers within 3 years or every 3 years. These rates are slightly higher their mobiles within than 2 years, those and of the computers adult within population, as3Spanish years oradults every have 3 years. These their rates mobile are slightly phones for anhigher averagethan of those of the adult population, as Spanish adults have their mobile phones for an 32 months, or almost 3 years (TNS, Global Telecom Insights (2011), viewed on the website http:average of 32 months, or almost 3 years //discovermobilelife.com/ on 5(TNS, Global Telecom Insights (2011), viewed on the website May 2011). http://discovermobilelife.com/ on 5 May 2011). Table 5. Results of replacement rates of technological devices (average). Table 5. Results of replacement rates of technological devices (average). Technological Device Average Replacement Rate Technological Device Average Replacement Rate Computer 3 Computer Mobile 3 2 Mobile 2 The The ease ease with with which which young people replace young people replace their their mobile mobile devices is not devices is not an an isolated incident from isolated incident from the the buying buying and andupgrading upgradingofofother othertechnological technological devices deviceswith scheduled with scheduledor planned obsolescence or planned [30]. obsolescence This fact is typical of the throwaway consumer society [31], in which consumers are out [30]. This fact is typical of the throwaway consumer society [31], in which consumers are out of touch of touch with product externalities with product (social externalities and environmental (social and environmental costs)costs) in exchange for very in exchange economical for very prices economical [32]. prices High mobile [32]. High replacement mobile rates among replacement young people rates among young highlight the needthe people highlight for need educating them about for educating the them origin and destination of technological products, what natural and human resources about the origin and destination of technological products, what natural and human resources are are needed to produce the mobile that they buy, and how the device is managed when it becomes needed to produce the mobile that they buy, and how the device is managed when it becomes waste. waste. This CE should This CElink locallink should mobile localpurchases to a global mobile purchases toand planetary a global consumption and planetary situation, situation, consumption with products’ with ecological footprint when buying a mobile as a citizen’s choice. products’ ecological footprint when buying a mobile as a citizen’s choice. 3.2. What Role Do Young People Have in Buying Technological Devices? 3.2. What Role Do Young People Have in Buying Technological Devices? To find out young people’s role in buying technological devices, results were obtained with regard To find out young people’s role in buying technological devices, results were obtained with to purchase criteria and their participation in selecting technological devices. regard to purchase criteria and their participation in selecting technological devices. x FOR PEER REVIEW Sustainability 2019, 11, 1541 10 of 15 Sustainability 2019, 11, x FOR PEER REVIEW 10 of 15 3.2.1 Which Purchase Criteria Are in Play for Technological Devices? 3.2.1 Which Which Purchase Purchase Criteria Criteria Are inAre in for Play Play for Technological Technological Devices? Devices? The most employed criteria—technical characteristics and price—have the most influence The mostemployed Theyouth most employed criteria—technical characteristics and price—havemostthe most influence among for buyingcriteria—technical both mobiles andcharacteristics computers. Asand forprice—have the mobile the phone, itinfluence among merits mention among youth youth for both buying both and mobiles and computers. As for the mobile phone,mention it merits mention that youth place more importance on criteria related to accessories, weight, and size (Figure 5).youth for buying mobiles computers. As for the mobile phone, it merits that that placeyouth moreplace more importance importance on criteria on criteria related related to accessories, to accessories, weight, andweight, and size size (Figure 5). (Figure 5). Criteria for buying technological devices Criteria for buying technological devices Originality 0,10 0,10 Originality 0,10 0,10 Style 0,10 0,40 Style 0,10 0,20 Need 0,40 0,60 Need 0,20 1,60 Other people’s opinion 0,60 0,70 Other people’s opinion 1,60 2,00 Practicality 0,70 1,80 Practicality 2,00 2,80 Warranty 1,80 2,60 Warranty 2,80 3,80 Tastes 2,60 2,80 Tastes 3,80 4,80 Model 2,805,00 Model 4,80 8,40 Miscellaneous 5,00 11,00 Miscellaneous 8,4011,00 Aestheti c 11,00 16,70 Aestheti c 11,00 13,0016,70 Accessories 28,50 Accessories 13,00 23,10 28,50 Quality 28,70 Quality 23,10 25,3028,70 Wei ght and size 32,60 Wei ght and size 25,3028,80 Marca 32,60 33,90 Marca 28,80 36,00 Price 33,90 43,40 Price 36,00 46,40 Technical characteristics 43,40 50,40 Technical characteristics 46,40 0,00 10,00 20,00 30,00 40,00 50,0050,40 60,00 0,00 10,00 20,00 30,00 40,00 50,00 60,00 Computer Phone Computer Phone Figure 5. Figure 5. Chart of Chart of 5. Chart percentages of percentages of percentages of criteria of criteria that criteria that young that young people young people use people use when use when buying technological when buying buying technological devices. devices. Figure technological devices. The results also show that young people consider and weigh weigh up the criteria more when they they The results also show that young people consider and weigh up the criteria more when they want to acquire a mobile compared with a computer. This fact also corroborates the results of young want to acquire a mobile compared with a computer. This fact also corroborates the results of young people’s involvement involvementin inchoosing choosingthethedevice, device,itsits purchase, purchase, and andknowledge knowledge of the price of the (Figure price 6). As (Figure 6). people’s involvement in choosing the device, its purchase, and knowledge of the price (Figure 6). As can be seen, youth report participating more in choosing and buying mobiles than As can be seen, youth report participating more in choosing and buying mobiles than computers. computers. can be seen, youth report participating more in choosing and buying mobiles than computers. This fact fact isisexplained explainedbybywhat whatwaswasmentioned mentioned earlier earlier about about thethe mobile mobile being being a more a more personal personal and This fact is explained by what was mentioned earlier about the mobile being a more personal and individual individual device, device, whereas whereas the computer the computer is more is more oftenoften shared shared in household in the the household and and family. family. ThisThis fact and individual device, whereas the computer is more often shared in the household and family. This fact also reveals that young people almost never take part in buying also reveals that young people almost never take part in buying computers. computers. fact also reveals that young people almost never take part in buying computers. Figure 6. Figure Chart of 6. Chart of young young people’s people’s participation participation in in the the purchase purchase process process of of technological technological devices. devices. Figure 6. Chart of young people’s participation in the purchase process of technological devices. In light of these results, it seems that CE should be oriented at making young people participate In light of these results, it seems that CE should be oriented at making young people participate moreIninlight the final purchase, of these results,as it was that it seems found CEthat young should people select be oriented the technological at making young peopledevices and participate more in the final purchase, as it was found that young people select the technological devices and their parents more pay purchase, in the final for them. asThis fact found it was can bethat explained young by the digital people divide, select the as many parents technological devices may and their parents pay for them. This fact can be explained by the digital divide, as many parents may possibly their prefer parents to for pay delegate them.and Thistrust fact their children can be withby explained technological matters. the digital divide, as Despite this, young many parents may possibly prefer to delegate and trust their children with technological matters. Despite this, young people should possibly preferbe to involved delegate until the final and trust theirpurchase, so that children with they are aware technological of their matters. rightsthis, Despite and young duties people should be involved until the final purchase, so that they are aware of their rights and duties people should be involved until the final purchase, so that they are aware of their rights and duties as consumers. Further, if young people take part in the entire purchase process, they can assess the as consumers. Further, if young people take part in the entire purchase process, they can assess the Sustainability 2019, 11, 1541 11 of 15 Sustainability 2019, 11, x FOR PEER REVIEW 11 of 15 as consumers. Further, if young people take part in the entire purchase process, they can assess the acquisition acquisition ofofa technological a technological device device as a as a social, social, cultural, cultural, and ecological and ecological option in option in consuming which the which the consuming person relates with his or her person relates with his or her environment. environment. 3.3. What Do Young People Do in the the Virtual Virtual World World and and What What Types TypesofofVirtual VirtualSpaces SpacesDo DoThey TheyVisit? Visit? With regard to using new technologies (Figure 7), there is a wide range of uses, although a clear difference is detected between those that are most used and least used. The apps related to instant messaging were the most frequently used by young people, followed by those for watching videos messaging and listening to music, for study purposes, games, and social media, which which had had similar similar percentages. percentages. Internet uses Downloads 0,30 % email 0,40 % Purchases 0,60 % News / current events 0,90 % Others 5,40 % Leisure and entertainment 6,60 % Search for information % jouth 13,90 % Social media 17,30 % Online gaming 18,30 % Work / study 18,60 % Videos / series / music 22,60 % Instant messaging 29,20 % 0 20 40 60 80 100 Figure 7. Young people’s use of the internet. The results The results reveal reveal that young people that young people especially especially useuse new technologies for new technologies for socialising, socialising, suggesting suggesting that young people try to meet their adolescent needs in the virtual world: connecting that young people try to meet their adolescent needs in the virtual world: connecting and belonging and belonging to a group and building their identities. The use of instant messaging apps as to a group and building their identities. The use of instant messaging apps as the most frequent the most frequent among young amongpeople youngispeople a characteristic of the liquid is a characteristic of modern the liquid consumer modernsociety, consumerwhere all thatwhere society, is instantaneous all that is and fleeting has value [20]. The types of applications most frequently used instantaneous and fleeting has value [20]. The types of applications most frequently used (messaging,(messaging, music and videos, music andfor videos, studying, forand social media) studying, and social highlight media)that it is difficult highlight that itfor adolescents is difficult to avoid these for adolescents types to avoid these types of apps if they want to communicate with their friends and classmates and, in short, to of apps if they want to communicate with their friends and classmates and, in short, if they want if belong they to atogroup. want belongThese apps inThese to a group. turn areappschanging in turn areaccording changing to the stereotypes according to thethat govern them, stereotypes that especially govern trendy them, or fashionable especially trendy orcriteria, which criteria, fashionable generates peer generates which pressure on peeryoung people pressure ontoyoung have people to have certain applications and a perceived obsolescence of the technological devices their certain applications and a perceived obsolescence of the technological devices they have due to they replacement have due toratetheir(seereplacement Section 3.1.3). rateIt is(see therefore Section important 3.1.3). ItforisCE and sustainability therefore important to forwork CE with and the needs and desires caused by perceived obsolescence among young sustainability to work with the needs and desires caused by perceived obsolescence among young people, so that the trend to replace mobiles does not continue to increase. In addition to providing concepts, people, so that the trend to replace mobiles does not continue to increase. In addition to providing such CE should generate group concepts, dynamics such CE should to reflect on generate ethics group and values dynamics in a non-dogmatic to reflect on ethics andway, values for in example, by using a non-dogmatic methodologies from philosophy programmes for children [33]. In short, way, for example, by using methodologies from philosophy programmes for children [33]. In short, it is necessary to promote CEisthat it stimulates necessary thoughtCE to promote among young people that stimulates surrounding thought the ideapeople among young of constructing surrounding theirtheidentities idea of from individual and peer values that incorporate responsible and sustainable constructing their identities from individual and peer values that incorporate responsible and consumption. sustainable consumption. 4. Conclusions 4. Conclusions Our results indicate that CE is necessary, and the purchase, use, and management of new technologies and the virtual world among young people becomes a good entryway for reflecting Our results indicate that CE is necessary, and the purchase, use, and management of new on healthier, more sustainable, and more social lifestyles. There is a need for CE that, as a priority, technologies and the virtual world among young people becomes a good entryway for reflecting on motivates young people to recognise each purchase action as an option that constructs their futures healthier, more sustainable, and more social lifestyles. There is a need for CE that, as a priority, and that of society and the planet. motivates young people to recognise each purchase action as an option that constructs their futures and that of society and the planet. Sustainability 2019, 11, 1541 12 of 15 The results related to the devices that young people most frequently have, the earliest ages at which they acquire them, and their replacement rates reveal that it is important to design CE actions that connect cognitive learning to social and emotional learning, such as the orientation for learning the SDGs [4]. From this idea, it would also be key for CE activities to work with contents such as the natural resources involved in the manufacture of technological devices, particularly mobile phones, as they are progressively becoming more essential in young people’s lives, and the trend suggests increasingly higher replacement rates. This result also highlights the importance of young people’s awareness of the technological waste produced due to their consumption habits; consequently, it is recommended that CE activities revolve around contents such as the lifecycle of mobiles and/or computers and their ecological footprints. In parallel, these contents should be linked to social and emotional issues, such as maturity to care for and maintain a technological product, and peer pressure about acquiring a mobile phone, especially in ages from 12 to 14, when experts claim that the young are still not ready to have mobiles. For example, activities could be designed related to the diversity of materials and natural resources needed to produce a mobile phone and the origin of these resources, as well as the social, sustainability, and war conflicts stemming from resource extraction, such as nickel. Other activities could be educational actions regarding the energy required to produce a mobile, particularly the energy impact of transporting small technology pieces to different parts of the world and the CO2 footprint of this process. Results regarding the purchase and role of technological devices point to a growing trend in young people’s perceptions as active consumers in relation to selecting and as passive consumers with regard to paying. This also occurs in other consumer actions such as buying clothing and free time management [34]. This trend can be explained by the fact that increasingly more young people know exactly which products they want, participate in selecting them, and even know the price, although the final purchase is made by adults. From this perspective, CE actions need to be promoted to clarify the diversity of criteria that can be used when choosing a product, going beyond the most usual criteria (brand, price, technical features) and including other aspects that involve products’ sustainability and lifecycle. For example, CE actions should be created that work with the idea that the price of a mobile phone does not include external factors outside its production, such as sustainability and social justice criteria. Programmed obsolescence should also be considered as a core feature to reverse the tendency toward more sustainable consumption. Finally, the results related to the use of new technologies for socialising and constructing identities reveal that CE cannot neglect the personal side of consumption and individual and group values that are mobilised every time a young person enters the virtual world. Therefore, it is essential to promote contextual and meaningful EC that avoids lists of what is good and what is not good to be a good consumer. CE must start with real and controversial situations in which young people must create their own responses via thought and action. For example, situations could be proposed such as researching the journey of a mobile phone from the factory until it finally reaches the shop, or investigating the energy used according to young people’s lifestyles and, thus, the apps they use. In addition to orienting the contents of educational activities toward sustainable consumption, the results also suggest how we can work on these contents, that is, the methodological strategies of CE. One key strategy is the formulation of productive questions [35,36]. Asking young people good questions about what and how they consume helps us to avoid providing closed and repetitive information to young consumers. The formulation of questions provides an opportunity to stimulate young people to investigate and search for answers [37]. CE based on questions provides the added value of encouraging curiosity, doubts, uncertainties, reflection, and diversity. Questions also help to contextualise activities according to how meaningful they are to young people and come up with decisions that each person constructs from his or her own knowledge. In the framework of working with the SDG 12, CE that merely conveys information seeking closed responses is no longer helpful. Thus, open-ended questions must be drafted that integrate multiple dimensions and favour creativity [38]. The milestones set for the SDGs for responsible consumption and production will only Sustainability 2019, 11, 1541 13 of 15 be obtained if CE is promoted in which not only answers are significant but also students’ capacities to formulate good questions that stimulate their questioning of phenomena in the world [36]. For example, the question ‘Are applications (apps) really free?’ invites the student body to consider an everyday action like installing an app and, from there, reflect on the decisions made. After identifying the different agents and factors involved in the creation, distribution, and usage process of an app, they could build models explaining the phenomenon, justifying it to their peers, and changing it, in a process of continual social interaction. In order to achieve the SDGs for the 2030 horizon, CE would need to incorporate a constructivist and complex perspective. Such education helps consumers to be aware that every time they buy a product or hire a service, the use of natural resources is involved (water, electricity, materials, etc.) as well as by-products and waste produced that must be managed. This CE is understood as a relationship between society and the environment, and the management of the latter’s resources. Consequently, educating on consumption involves educating about social and cultural lifestyles, and consumers’ purchase decisions as an opportunity for transformation based on citizens’ resiliency, responsibility, and sustainability. Educating consumers who want to engage in responsible and sustainable consumption, as set out in the SDGs, must favour the training of critical, active, and responsible citizens. Critical citizens are needed, so that when faced with consumer actions, they can analyse and form their own opinions and compare different viewpoints constructively. Active citizens are required because in a democratic society, the training of people must focus on acting in relation to the environment and its transformation. This premise is linked to understanding the consumer action not as a single point, but instead as an action that takes place over time: from deciding we have a need (pre-purchase), choosing a product or service (purchase), and the use, maintenance, and disposal of what we acquired (post-purchase). Finally, responsible consumers are required because they construct their own consumer model, with which they make their own decisions, are aware of the consequences of their actions on the environment and society, and measure their impact. CE takes on a key role in progressively increasing the number of consumers who adopt a global vision of consumption and understand that consumption codes evolve quickly over time and differ depending on space and context [39]. Author Contributions: The authors have contributed equally to the work, conceptualising and designing the study, collecting and analysing data, discussing the results, and drawing conclusions. Funding: This research was funded by Agència Catalana del Consum, Generalitat de Catalunya grant number [DOGC núm.7076, OB-02/16]. http://consum.gencat.cat. Acknowledgments: The authors wish to express their sincere gratitude to the students for their participation. This research article is part of a larger study of the collection ‘Studies on consumer habits of young people in Catalonia edited by Catalonia School of Consumer Affairs of Catalan Consumer Agency.’ The authors also acknowledge the support from the Research Group Complex at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (2017 SGR 476). Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflicts of interest. 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