When it comes to selling environmentally friendly products, more green claims do not necessarily mean greater consumer appeal. New research suggests that promoting multiple sustainability benefits can sometimes backfire, particularly among shoppers who place less importance on environmental responsibility. The findings challenge the assumption that highlighting more eco-friendly features automatically makes a product more attractive.

The study, led by Professor Miyuri Shirai of Keio University in Japan, explored how consumers respond to sustainability claims involving a product’s ingredients, packaging or both. Published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology in November 2026, the research examined whether consumers’ environmental values influence how they interpret green marketing messages.

Researchers conducted three studies involving 1,729 participants in Japan, using fictional advertisements for laundry detergent, organic granola and body wash. Each advertisement emphasised sustainability through product composition, packaging or a combination of both. Participants then rated the products, allowing researchers to compare their reactions based on their green consumption values, or the importance they attach to environmentally responsible purchasing.

The results revealed a striking divide. Consumers with strong environmental values responded more positively when advertisements highlighted sustainability in both the product and its packaging. However, those with weaker environmental values generally preferred advertisements focusing on just one sustainable feature. For these shoppers, adding more green information did not necessarily improve their impressions.

The findings support a psychological concept known as the “embedding effect”, which suggests that adding positive information does not always increase perceived value. Environmentally conscious consumers may appreciate multiple sustainability features as complementary benefits, while less environmentally motivated shoppers may find simpler messages more appealing. In other words, the effectiveness of green marketing depends partly on who receives the message.

A third study examined whether consumers’ perceptions of information usefulness and product sustainability helped explain their attitudes. The analysis suggested that these factors could play a role in shaping evaluations, although it did not establish a definitive cause-and-effect relationship. The findings nevertheless offer insight into why different consumers may interpret identical sustainability claims differently.

For manufacturers and marketers, the research carries an important lesson: sustainability messaging should reflect the priorities of the intended audience. Rather than overwhelming shoppers with environmental claims, companies may achieve better responses by emphasising the benefits most relevant to their customers. As Shirai observed, highlighting sustainability in both a product and its packaging may not always be the most effective approach.

However, the findings come with limitations. Participants evaluated fictional advertisements rather than making actual purchases, and the combined sustainability messages contained more claims than the single-feature advertisements. This makes it difficult to separate the effects of message quantity from message content. Further research across different markets and products is needed. Still, the central takeaway is clear: successful green marketing may depend less on how much sustainability information companies provide and more on how well that information resonates with consumers.

More information: Miyuri Shirai et al, Consumers’ evaluations of products with sustainable composition and packaging: The moderating role of green consumption values, Journal of Environmental Psychology. DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.103219

Journal information: Journal of Environmental Psychology Provided by Keio University Global Research Institute