Purpose

This study investigates how functional and symbolic utilities at both product and brand levels influence perceived quality, price sensitivity, and purchase intention in sports footwear consumption among lower-middle-income Generation Z consumers in Brazil and Portugal, considering cultural and socioeconomic contexts.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative cross-national survey was conducted with 259 Generation Z consumers from Brazil and Portugal. Validated scales were used to measure functional and symbolic utilities, perceived quality, price sensitivity, and purchase intention. Data were analysed using multi-group Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM), complemented by psychographic cluster analysis.

Findings

Value formation differs across contexts. In Brazil, functional utilities at both product and brand levels had a significant influence on perceived quality, suggesting a pragmatic consumption orientation. In Portugal, symbolic product utility played a more prominent role in shaping perceived quality. Price sensitivity was not directly associated with functional utility in either country, but it was positively associated with the symbolic utility of the brand in Brazil. Both perceived quality and price sensitivity were positively associated with purchase intention in both markets. Psychographic analysis identified six distinct consumer profiles in each country, with Brazilian consumers displaying stronger emotional brand engagement, while Portuguese consumers showed more utilitarian and sceptical orientations.

Practical implications

In Brazil, branding should emphasise functional performance and value for money. In Portugal, symbolic positioning and lifestyle alignment are more effective when supported by functional credibility.

Originality/value

This study contributes to sports marketing and consumer behaviour by demonstrating that value formation among Generation Z is segmented and context-dependent, rather than universal.

The travel and tourism industry has been characterised over the last decade by the use of robotics, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI) (Leung, 2019; Rashid & Aziz, 2022; Roy & Pagaldiviti, 2023). This trend has been producing disruptive changes in tourism processes in this industry, which is expected to increase in the future (Bowen & Morosan, 2018; Tussyadiah, 2020). Therefore, understanding these impacts on customer experiences is crucial. Tour operators and travel agencies use VR and AR to offer virtual tours, allowing tourists to experience a destination before deciding to visit (Milton, 2023).

This study explains how consumers form attitudes toward sustainable fashion line extensions by integrating Brand Extension Theory (BET) with the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Using survey data from 786 consumers in Portugal and Turkey, with H&M Conscious Choice as the focal reference, we estimate a structural model in which environmental concern (EC) and brand image (BI) shape attitude (AT) both directly and indirectly through brand‑extension fit (BEF). Results show that EC has a positive but small direct association with AT, while its indirect effect via BEF is also significant, indicating that value‑based dispositions become consequential when the sustainability initiative is perceived as a credible and logical extension of the parent brand. BI exerts a substantive direct influence on AT and a statistically reliable but modest influence on BEF; BEF itself positively predicts AT and transmits part of EC’s and BI’s effects. The model explains R² ≈ 0.742 of BEF and R² ≈ 0.476 of AT, supporting the explanatory adequacy of the integrated framework. A multi‑group analysis suggests context‑sensitive differences between Portugal and Turkey, which we interpret in light of policy‑normalization (Portugal) versus crisis‑salience (Turkey); given partial measurement invariance, these contrasts are framed as cautious tendencies. Overall, findings underscore fit as the mechanism through which consumers synthesize values and brand heuristics, clarifying why strong brand image alone does not guarantee perceived sustainability congruence in fast‑fashion contexts.

Regions with strong tourism seasonality, like Portugal’s Algarve, face major challenges in municipal solid waste (MSW) management. This study quantifies tourism-induced waste using data from 2017–2024, in collaboration with Algar, the regional MSW utility. In 2024, the Algarve experienced six times more overnight stays in high season than low season, accounting for 25% of Portugal’s total. Yet only 9 of its 16 municipalities host 76% of residents and 95% of overnight stays. Regression models reveal strong links between tourism and waste generation. Tourists produce an estimated 3.44 kg of MSW per overnight stay—double a resident’s daily output—with 3.1 kg unsorted and glass waste four times higher than that of residents. Although tourism accounts for only 27% of annual MSW, it drives over 41% of capacity needs due to seasonality. Findings support fairer, data-driven cost-sharing and system improvements to more effectively manage waste.