How Green Brand Extensions Facilitate Adoption of Usage-Changing Products Among Less Environmentally Conscious Consumers
(A2025-124799)

AUTHORS

Natacha Kahan, Université libre de Bruxelles, Solvay Brussels School of Economics & Management; Virginie Bruneau, Université libre de Bruxelles; Catherine Janssen, Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management - Université libre de Bruxelles

ABSTRACT

The consumption of some green products, like switching from liquid shampoo to solid bar shampoo, requires a change in usage. Though solid shampoo bar reduces plastic waste, its different storage and handling could be a barrier for some consumers. This paper examines how the change in usage required influences consumer willingness to adopt these greener products. It also explores the moderating role of the brand origin. Through an online survey experiment, we show that a green product requiring a change in usage (compared to one that does not) significantly reduces the willingness to buy the product for less environmentally conscious consumers, but not for highly conscious consumers. However, this negative effect is mitigated when the product is introduced in a green extension of an established brand rather than as a product from a born-green brand. This project contributes to the understanding of sustainable consumption and the role of conventional brands in the green transition.