Sustainability labelling in Fashion: Manipulating consumer engagement

This paper analyses the impact of persuasive technologies in sustainable fashion. The analysis focuses on this sector as it shows certain ambiguities that pose significant risks for digital consumers. The main controversial aspect concerns sustainability labels and the rationale behind their implementation. This controversy appears extremely compromising when it meets the functioning of the digital world. The persuasion provided by digital technology becomes ethically problematic for some specific digital consumers. By analysing consumer preferences, the paper affirms that agents with a weak preference for sustainable fashion risk being manipulated by PTs. However, manipulating individuals in their garment choices raises ethical concerns related to the formation and expression of people’s identities.