Consumers Embrace Eco-friendly Products as Reliable Alternatives

Breaking the Sustainability Liability Myth

For years, eco-friendly products—from everyday items like mouthwash to tires—were often perceived as inferior to their traditional counterparts. This "sustainability liability" suggested that making products greener came at the cost of performance, deterring companies from investing in sustainable alternatives.

However, a recent comprehensive study led by marketing professor Alexander Chernev and colleagues at Kellogg School of Management reveals a significant shift: consumers now rate eco-friendly and standard products almost equally in terms of effectiveness. This challenges the long-held assumption that sustainability compromises product quality.

Key Research Insights

• Consumer Perception Tested Across Products: Over 3,300 participants evaluated ten hypothetical products, including all-purpose cleaners and tires, with varied descriptions highlighting eco-friendly attributes or neutral features. Results showed negligible differences in perceived performance between eco-friendly and conventional products, except for drain cleaners, where traditional options slightly outperformed sustainable ones.

• The Pandemic as a Stress Test: During COVID-19, when functional efficacy was paramount (notably for hand sanitizers), another study with over 3,200 participants still found no significant perception gap between green and standard products. This suggests that even in high-stakes scenarios, sustainability is not viewed as a liability.

• The Role of Product Attributes: Sustainability’s appeal varies by product purpose. For items where gentleness is valued (e.g., face creams), eco-friendly options tend to be favored. Conversely, for products demanding high strength (e.g., stain removers), traditional products may retain a slight edge in consumer preference.

Evolving Language Reflects Changing Attitudes

Analyzing large text corpora—Google News articles up to 2013 and English Wikipedia entries from 2021—the researchers found increasing associations between sustainability-related terms (like “ecological” and “recycled”) and positive performance descriptors (“efficient,” “reliable”). This linguistic trend corroborates the experimental data, indicating a growing cultural belief in the competence of green products.

Implications for Businesses and Sustainability

The fading sustainability liability effect can reassure companies hesitant to pursue eco-friendly innovations due to fears of consumer rejection. As ecological products gain legitimacy and trust, firms are better positioned to invest confidently in sustainability without sacrificing market appeal.

Consumer preferences are pivotal—they ultimately direct corporate strategy toward greener practices. Understanding that eco-friendly products are no longer perceived as second-best is a critical insight for driving broader adoption of sustainable goods, a necessary step in combating climate change.

About the Research

Title: "Is Sustainability a Liability? Green Marketing and Consumer Beliefs About Eco-Friendly Products"
Authors: Alexander Chernev, Sean Blair, Ulf Böckenholt, Himanshu Mishra
Published in: Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 2024

Featured Faculty

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

This summary provides actionable insights for marketers, product developers, and sustainability advocates aiming to leverage evolving consumer perceptions to promote green products without compromising trust or sales.

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