Consumers say they want more sustainable products, yet they don’t consistently buy them. Why? Because the effort required to buy these products outweighs the perceived benefits. This creates the intention-action gap a stumbling block for the growth of many sustainable brands.

This series explores the unique challenges of marketing sustainable products and recommends ways brands can help consumers close the Intention-Action Gap.

Consumers will consistently buy sustainable products when the perceived benefits exceed the effort involved in making the purchase. Brands can help consumers close their intention-action gap by decreasing the effort, increasing the rewards or both.

Part of the challenge lies in the fact that consumers have varying priorities and levels of commitment to sustainability. They also have differing understandings about what sustainability, green or eco-friendly actually means. Brands need to consider these key differences to build strategies to help shift their customers’ reward-effort balance.

A small qualitative consumer study at U.K.-based Brigstow Institute at Bristol University focused on understanding how sustainability-minded people shop. Preliminary findings found varying levels of sustainability sensitivity, which influences how a consumer experiences rewards, including those that appear distant in time and space.

The Brigstow study showed that sustainability-minded consumers fall into three categories:

  • Group 1 advocates for sustainability and will engage directly with a company.
  • Group 2 spreads the word to influence other consumers.
  • Group 3 does not seek to influence others.

Read the full article about consumers’ intention-action gap by Diane Osgood at GreenBiz.