The role of social marketing in household water conservation: A moral perspective

Water resources are facing unprecedented pressure to meet the increasing demand, yet
water is still taken for granted. In theory and in practice, water conservation is gaining less
attention than other environmental issues such as energy consumption and waste management
(Grilli and Curtis, 2021). This study aims to contribute to this gap by providing in-depth
insights on household water conservation – in the UK and Egypt. Household water demand
accounts for more than 60% of total water usage in the UK and is higher than industrial water
usage in Egypt. This pattern indicates that household water conservation offers great potential
in ensuring the long-term sustainability of water resources. Hence, it is the focus of this study.
A qualitative approach is adopted to explore and understand water conservation from the
households’ perspective, as well as, uncover the underlying (mis)perceptions associated with
water in two contrasting contexts (i.e. UK and Egypt). The study aims to provide practical
implications to inform the design and implementation of social marketing interventions
targeting water conservation. Thematic analysis identified six main themes that provide a comprehensive understanding of water consumption behaviour and its relevant (mis)perceptions. Further analysis revealed
insights about the underlying factors contributing to these perceptions and has uncovered
aspects that interplay to shape water consumption behaviour.