Assessing the Relationship between Plant Types Purchased and Consideration of Future Consequences to Generate Marketing Messages for Ornamental Plants1

Abstract

Abstract Plants are an integral part of the environment and human health can be improved through people interacting with plants. But do “plant people” care about the environment more than others? Plant purchases may be tied to perceptions of future personal and environmental health. The interface of concern for the environment, personal mental health, and plant purchases has yet to be explored and may hold informative suggestions for marketing strategies. Here, an online survey elicited behavior toward plant purchases, mental health, consideration of future consequences (CFC), plant spending and demographic information. A total of 860 U.S. consumers participated in the study. A probit model assessed the relationship between plant spending, demographics and participants' CFC. Results indicate positive correlations between all of the plant types purchased (e.g., annuals, perennials) and plant spending in 2021 and 2020. Mental health ratings (from 20 statements in the PANAS-X Scales Manual for Positive and Negative Affect Schedule) and high mean scores for future consequences (from a CFC scale) were positively correlated. Purchasing indoor foliage plants improved the probability of being in the high CFC group, while negatively impacting the probability of being in the low CFC group. Purchasing annual plants significantly improved participants’ mental health ratings.