Keen to advocate green: How green attributes drive product recommendations

Abstract

As the environmental crisis deepens, the call for research on sustainable consumption and advocacy grows louder. While some research indicates at a “spillover effect”, where eco-friendly behaviors trigger further green actions, findings in this regard are largely inconsistent. Seeking to address these gaps, our research suggests that spillover effects emanate from the enhanced consumption experience and elevated self-perception that result from green consumption. Specifically, the use of eco-friendly products enhances the overall consumption experience, fosters a heightened environmental self-perception, and unveils an uncharted spillover effect: the propensity to advocate for green products.Across a sequence of four studies, we illustrate how individuals who use products with green attributes, in contrast to non-green alternatives, display a stronger tendency to advocate for these products. We reveal that this phenomenon is mediated by an enhanced consumption experience, subsequently strengthening individuals' self-perception as environmentally conscious. Additionally, we unveil the moderating influence of consumers' perceived autonomy in the consumption decision-making process. Our findings suggest that consumers who believe they autonomously choose to use green products, tend to evaluate their experiences more positively, embrace a stronger green self-perception, and are keener to recommend these products, in contrast to those who are compelled to use them.