Shifting sustainability values and voluntary simplicity orientations among Swiss University students between 2015 and 2023

Abstract This article examines the popularity of voluntary simplicity attitudes and lifestyle prevalence among Swiss business and law students, focusing on material simplicity and ecological consciousness. Drawing on two surveys of independent cohorts from 2015 to 2023, it compares responses on identical measures and, where applicable, students’ retrospective assessments of pandemic-related effects. Findings indicate a marked rise in material simplicity, reflected in more deliberate purchasing and reduced emphasis on status symbols. At the same time, a possible increase in impulse buying was observed, which may be linked to expanded digital retail access, pandemic-related stress, and social media influences, though these associations remain speculative. Ecological consciousness remained consistently high and showed little evidence of pandemic impact. Overall, the study points to a shift toward voluntary simplicity while highlighting persistent challenges in translating sustainability values into everyday consumer behavior.