Unplanned Sustainability: Positive Unintended Consequences of Coping Capital

Unintended consequences in transformative research remain focused on negative spillover consequences
(e.g., Blocker, David, and Anderson 2022), while extant literature on coping has addressed the topic as a
compensatory action rather than potential positive gains (Kapoor and Belk 2022). Bridging both perspectives, our study focuses on understanding how coping capital from consumers experiencing
vulnerability (i.e., low-income consumers from underserved communities in Brazil) can generate positive
unintended consequences on sustainable consumption and production. From an abductive approach, we will delve into consumer lived experiences in different life domains (e.g., food, housing, and transportation) to map everyday dynamics emerging from adversity. By offering insights on mechanisms and results deriving from these experiences, we will contribute to understanding unplanned consequences on advancing sustainable practices, transcending well-established barriers. Additionally, exploring coping capital will shed light on how resources obtained in one domain can be transferred to different circumstances. Keywords: unintended consequences; coping capital; sustainability; vulnerability.