People are more willing to pay for sustainable products if they perceive them as enjoyable and appealing, a new study finds.
The research from the University of Eastern Finland found that environmental friendliness alone does not always translate into willingness to pay.
The study examined how sustainability, enjoyment, and practical benefits affect someone’s willingness to pay more for sustainable products.
Doctoral Researcher Jyri Hoffrén of the University of Eastern Finland said: “Consumers who value sustainable consumption are more willing to pay a premium, particularly when a product offers positive emotional and user experiences.”
“Enjoyment helps translate sustainability values into actual consumption behaviour.”
Contrastingly, the study found that when a product is assessed in terms of price, functionality, efficiency or economic benefits, sustainability is less likely to translate into willingness to pay a premium.
Hoffrén said the finding helps explain the value-behaviour gap.
“Consumers may consider sustainability important but decide not to buy a product if its price, practicality or perceived benefits fail to meet their expectations,” they continued.
The study found that, to justify a sustainability premium, people want environmental claims and the product’s functional and experiential attributes to reinforce each other.
“Companies should consider sustainability as part of a product’s overall value,” Hoffrén said.
“If product marketing emphasises enjoyment without genuine experiential benefits, it may lose credibility.”
The research, published in Forest Policy and Economics, examined whether the associations remained stable over time and compared a wood-based bioplastic bottle, a T-shirt and biofuel.
