Customers Increasingly Embrace Eco-Friendly Products: Debunking the “Sustainability Liability” Myth

Background: The Sustainability Liability Concept

For years, eco-friendly products—from detergents to tires—were often perceived by consumers as less effective than their conventional counterparts. This belief, known as the “sustainability liability,” suggested that making products green required sacrificing performance. This perception deterred some companies from investing in sustainable technologies, fearing consumer rejection.

New Research Challenges Old Assumptions

A recent comprehensive study led by marketing experts Alexander Chernev (Kellogg School of Management), Sean Blair, Ulf Böckenholt, Himanshu Mishra, and Lisa Röper has found that consumers rate eco-friendly products’ effectiveness nearly equal to standard products across various categories. Surveying over 3,300 participants on hypothetical products including mouthwash, cleaners, and tires, the research revealed minimal difference in perceived product performance based on sustainability claims.

“The sustainability-liability intuition might not be as strong as one might have thought,” said Alexander Chernev.

Key Findings:

• On average, sustainable products did not suffer lower performance ratings except in one category: drain cleaner.
• Even amid the high-stakes COVID-19 pandemic period, where product efficacy was critically important (hand sanitizers, cleaners), eco-friendly and conventional product ratings remained nearly identical.
• Any slight sustainability-liability tends to appear mainly when consumers expect a product to have strong, overpowering qualities (e.g., stain removers), but even then, the effect is negligible.

Changing Perceptions Over Time

By analyzing large language datasets, including Google News (up to 2013) and Wikipedia texts (2021), the research team found an evolving linguistic association linking sustainability-related words (“ecological,” “recycled”) with positive performance descriptors such as “efficient” and “reliable.” This suggests consumer attitudes toward eco-friendly products have become more favorable over years.

Implications for Businesses and Consumers

This research provides important reassurance for companies hesitant to launch green products due to fears of consumer skepticism about performance. The fading of the sustainability liability myth indicates that consumers value sustainability without compromising perceived reliability or effectiveness.

For businesses, this shift means expanding sustainable product lines can be pursued confidently without major concerns over alienating mainstream buyers. For consumers, the growing availability of eco-friendly options supports more sustainable consumption patterns—critical for addressing climate change.

“Understanding this nuanced consumer belief is key to driving corporate behavior towards sustainability,” Chernev emphasizes.

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.

About the Authors: Alexander Chernev is a Professor of Marketing at Kellogg School of Management, with extensive expertise in consumer behavior and sustainable marketing.

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