China　has　embarked　on　society-wide　emission　reduction　initiatives　to　tackle　the　growing　decarbonization　pressures　on　national　economic　and　social　development.　The　low-carbon　consumption　pattern　transition　of　the　residential　sector　is　viewed　as　a　crucial　impetus　that　will　drive　society　toward　sustainable　development.　However,　how　such　a　consumption　transition　can　be　facilitated　remains　unclear.　By　adopting　2015–2019　provincial　panel　data,　this　study　assesses　the　carbon　emissions　associated　with　the　consumption　patterns　of　residents　in　Eastern　China　and　further　explores　the　causal　relationships　between　policy　and　socioeconomic　factors　as　well　as　the　formation　of　a　low-carbon　consumption　base　using　fuzzy-set　qualitative　comparative　analysis　method　(fsQCA).　This　study　explores　five　equivalent　recipes　that　achieve　the　expected　low-carbon　consumption　base　and　then　classifies　them　into　market-driven　(M1)　and　tertiary-driven　(M2)　recipes.　Longitudinal　analysis　based　on　the　between　consistency　(BECONS)　and　the　within　consistency　(WICONS)　values　reveals　that　the　tertiary-driven　pathways　remain　highly　stable　across　time,　whereas　those　pathways　that　heavily　rely　on　market　interventions　may　be　more　applicable　in　certain　cases.　Accelerating　the　low-carbon　consumption　transition　via　the　explored　pathways　is　expected　to　exert　pressure　on　the　production　transition,　and　this　study　provides　suggestions　for　regions　with　varied　development　levels　to　balance　the　trade-off　between　China’s　social　development　and　its　decarbonization　targets.　©　2022,　The　Author(s),　under　exclusive　licence　to　Springer-Verlag　GmbH　Germany,　part　of　Springer　Nature.