Customers Embrace Eco-Friendly Products as a Reliable Choice

Shifting Perceptions: From Sustainability Liability to Trustworthy Performance

For years, people judged eco-friendly products—like toothpaste and tires—as less strong than regular ones. This view, called the “sustainability liability,” made companies pause. They feared that low performance would push customers away.

New research by Alexander Chernev and his team at the Kellogg School of Management breaks this link. Their work shows customers see eco-friendly products as nearly equal to standard items. The assumed liability now seems small and unimportant to managers.

Key Research Insights

• Study Design:
More than 3,300 people rated 10 different types of products. They saw descriptions of either eco-friendly or standard items. Then they rated performance on a 7-point scale.

• Findings:
On average, eco-friendly and standard products scored very close. Only drain cleaner eco-versions received lower marks.

• Pandemic Context:
During COVID-19, tests with hand sanitizers and cleaners gave similar results. Product function stayed steady in customers’ eyes.

• Nuanced Consumer Preferences:
For items like face cream, customers favor eco-friendly versions for their gentle, green nature. Yet for heavy-duty stain removers, they lean slightly toward standard options.

Evolving Consumer Language and Associations

The researchers also studied large language sets from Google News and Wikipedia. They noted a change: words such as “ecological” and “recycled” now sit close to positive terms like “efficient” and “reliable.” This shift shows that people now see green products as trustworthy.

Implications for Businesses and Sustainability

• Overcoming Managerial Hesitation:
Companies learn today that eco-friendly products work well. This belief can boost investments in green solutions.

• Consumer Influence:
Every customer choice builds a trend. Their trust now plays a big role in shaping corporate actions.

• Supporting Climate Goals:
As acceptance grows, firms face less pressure to ignore eco-friendly options. This trend further helps the market move toward sustainability and fight climate change.

About the Researchers

• Alexander Chernev, Professor of Marketing, Kellogg School of Management
• Sean Blair, PhD Graduate, now at Georgetown University
• Ulf Böckenholt, John D. Gray Professor of Marketing, Kellogg
• Himanshu Mishra, University of Utah

Source

Chernev, Alexander, Sean Blair, Ulf Böckenholt, and Himanshu Mishra. 2024.
“Is Sustainability a Liability? Green Marketing and Consumer Beliefs About Eco-Friendly Products.”
Journal of Public Policy & Marketing.

This summary builds links between ideas. Each word stays close to the one it qualifies. Eco-friendly products no longer must lose quality. Customers now back sustainable choices, and the market grows with trust.

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.