A Better Way to Market Sustainable Products: Insights from NYU Stern and PwC
Overview
Consumers favor sustainable products. Companies face challenges when marketing these goods. They need to prove the business case, balance sustainability with popular features, and deliver clear messages. NYU Stern’s Center for Sustainable Business and PwC join efforts. They offer research-backed tips to help marketing leaders grow sustainable product lines.
The Business Case for Sustainable Products
• Sustainable products grow fast.
Circana data over 12 years shows a 12.3% yearly growth from 2019 to 2024.
This rate is more than double that of standard offerings.
• Market share grows.
By 2024, sustainable goods make up 23.8% of CPG sales (not counting alcohol and tobacco).
• Price premiums attract buyers.
A PwC survey of 20,000 consumers in 2024 shows many will pay almost 10% more.
In practice, the premium reaches 26.6% on average.
Some items, like paper products, show a premium above 100%, while coffee, cereal, and chocolate sit around 50%.
Action tip: Identify consumers who care about sustainability.
Young people, college graduates, urban residents, and high earners respond best.
Target them to boost marketing success.
Amplifying Product Appeal through Messaging
Keep sustainability claims near core product traits.
For food, mix taste with green messages.
For personal care, add freshness to eco-friendly features.
Research by CSB and Edelman shows a clear win:
• Use one main product claim, such as “rich, delicious chocolate.”
• Add one or two strong sustainability claims.
This blend lifts appeal by about 30 percentage points on average.
Action tip: Pick messages that match the product.
Skincare, for example, benefits when it says “made with sustainable ingredients that care for your skin.”
Building Trust with Credible Claims
Customers value clear, benefit-focused claims.
They like messages that promise to protect health, save money, support local farms, help children, boost animal welfare, or use local, sustainable sources.
Some claims work less well.
Vague scientific terms like “biodegradable” or “climate-neutral,” long lists of traceability details, and packaging claims (except for all-recycled content) lose impact.
Certifications alone do not win trust without clear evidence.
Action tip: Be honest and precise.
Avoid vague words like “clean” or “natural.”
Do not risk legal issues when products touch skin or children.
Regulatory Landscape
Companies face new rules for sustainability claims.
These rules come from the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive and Due Diligence Directive.
The 2025 EU Omnibus legislation may update these rules.
Also, the EU Green Claims Directive may require scientific proof.
Action tip: Build strong traceability and value chain checks.
These practices help prove your green claims and meet regulations.
Conclusion
Marketing sustainable products works when companies show a clear business case.
They must blend green and core product benefits in clear, simple terms.
They also need honest, evidence-backed claims to build trust.
Following these steps helps companies tap into rising demand.
They can charge a premium and support environmental and social goals.
About the Authors
• Tensie Whelan is a Distinguished Professor of Practice at NYU Stern.
She founded the NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business.
• David Linich is a Principal at PwC US.
He is an expert in decarbonization and sustainable operations.
Sources:
• Analysis of Circana sales data (2012–2024) by NYU Stern CSB
• PwC Consumer Survey, 2024
• Joint research by NYU Stern CSB and Edelman
• Regulatory updates on EU sustainability directives, 2025
For businesses and marketers in organic and sustainable sectors, these insights offer a clear roadmap.
They guide you to capture loyal customers and drive growth with authentic sustainability.
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.
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