Customers Embrace Eco-friendly Products: New Research Dispels Performance Concerns

Published: September 1, 2025
Source: Kellogg School of Management

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Overview

For years, many consumers held the view that eco-friendly products—from mouthwash to tires—offer lower performance. This belief made companies hold back on green product development. New research by Alexander Chernev and his team at the Kellogg School of Management shows that consumers now see sustainable and conventional products as almost equal. Consumers rate both types nearly the same, which marks a big change in how they think.

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The Sustainability Liability Myth Challenged

• Common belief: Eco-friendly products must trade off performance for sustainability.
• New findings: Over 3,300 participants in 10 product categories showed little difference in how they rated eco-friendly and standard products.
• Exception: Consumers gave eco-friendly drain cleaners a slightly lower score. They need strong products in this category.
• Implication: The balance between sustainability and performance is not as hard as once thought. This change lifts a barrier for companies trying new green alternatives.

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Study Design and Key Insights

The researchers ran online tests. They gave participants product details that either mentioned eco-friendliness or did not, using examples like mouthwash, cleaners, hand sanitizers, and tires. Then, consumers rated these products on a 7-point scale for reliability, efficiency, and strength.

• During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, when function mattered most, ratings for eco-friendly hand sanitizers and cleaners stayed on par.
• The “sustainability liability” idea barely showed or was missing when product strength was key.

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Changing Consumer Language and Perception Over Time

The team also looked at language use in two large text sets:

• Google News (up to 2013) and English Wikipedia (2021)
• In recent texts, words like "ecological" and "recycled" now often go with "efficient" and "reliable."
• This language shift goes with the study’s results and shows a new link between sustainability and quality.

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Implications for Businesses and Climate Action

• The end of the sustainability liability myth removes a key barrier in company decisions to invest in green solutions.
• Companies that were once afraid of consumer pushback can now work confidently on eco-friendly products.
• As customers buy more sustainable items, businesses can take firm steps toward mitigating climate change.

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Expert Commentary

Alexander Chernev, Professor of Marketing at Kellogg, states, “The sustainability-liability intuition might not be as strong as one might have thought.” His words show that eco-friendly products are now viewed as both reliable and effective.

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Conclusion

This new research marks a turning point in consumer behavior: eco-friendly does not mean lower performance. As more shoppers pick sustainable items, brands are pushed to boost their green innovations. This change makes it easier for businesses to work toward a greener future.

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Citation

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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Written by Roberta Kwok, Freelance Science Writer

Design Delight Studio curates high-impact, authoritative insights into sustainable and organic product trends, helping conscious consumers and innovative brands stay ahead in a fast-evolving green economy.