Customers Increasingly Embrace Eco-Friendly Products: New Research Dispels Performance Myths

Overview

Recent research from the Kellogg School of Management challenges the long-held belief that eco-friendly products are less effective than their conventional counterparts. This “sustainability liability” perception has historically caused companies to hesitate in developing sustainable alternatives. However, new evidence shows that consumers now view sustainable products as equally reliable and effective, signaling a major shift in market attitudes.

Background: The Sustainability Liability Concept

For years, sustainable products—from mouthwash to tires—were presumed inferior in performance. This idea, rooted in the assumption that sacrificing certain product features for sustainability results in reduced effectiveness, discouraged many companies from investing in green technologies.

Alexander Chernev, Professor of Marketing at Kellogg, notes this belief was often accepted without scrutiny. But his recent studies reveal that the so-called sustainability liability may be more myth than reality.

Key Research Findings

Consumer Perceptions on Product Performance

In a large-scale online study involving over 3,300 participants, researchers compared consumer ratings of standard versus eco-friendly versions of 10 products, such as all-purpose cleaners, hand sanitizers, and car tires.

• Performance ratings for eco-friendly and traditional products were nearly identical.
• The only exception was drain cleaner, which saw slightly lower ratings when labeled eco-friendly.
• Products where strength is less valued (e.g., gentle face cream) showed higher appeal for eco-friendly versions.

Impact During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Researchers expanded testing to critical sanitary products amid the pandemic, a period when performance concerns were paramount. Over three waves in 2020, results consistently showed no significant difference in perceived effectiveness between green and standard cleaning products.

Linguistic Analysis: Positive Associations with Sustainability

Analyzing massive datasets from Google News (up to 2013) and English Wikipedia (2021), researchers found that sustainability-related terms like “ecological” and “recycled” have become increasingly associated with positive attributes such as “efficient” and “reliable,” rather than with negative traits like “fragile” or “ineffective.”

The trend was stronger in more recent data, indicating evolving consumer beliefs aligning sustainability with performance excellence.

Managerial Implications

These findings provide valuable reassurance to businesses concerned about consumer rejection of eco-friendly products based on quality fears. The data suggest:

• Investing in sustainable product development poses little risk of perceived performance loss among mainstream consumers.
• The fading sustainability liability can encourage more widespread adoption of green technologies.
• Consumer purchases remain pivotal in driving corporate sustainability efforts and combating climate change.

Conclusion

The research by Chernev, Blair, Böckenholt, and Mishra published in the Journal of Public Policy & Marketing signals a positive shift in how consumers perceive eco-friendly products. Far from being a liability, sustainability is increasingly viewed as compatible with, or even indicative of, product reliability and efficiency. This evolution holds promise for accelerating the transition toward sustainable consumption and production.

Featured Researchers:

• Alexander Chernev, Professor of Marketing, Kellogg School of Management
• Ulf Böckenholt, John D. Gray Professor of Marketing, Kellogg School of Management

Source:
Chernev, A., Blair, S., Böckenholt, U., & Mishra, H. (2024). Is Sustainability a Liability? Green Marketing and Consumer Beliefs About Eco-Friendly Products. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing.

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