How psychological levers help sustainable consumption to breakthrough!

How psychological levers help sustainable consumption to breakthrough!

Lüneburg, Deutschland - Sustainability is very popular, but often the good will remains not to be implemented in action. A current conversation with a colleague who researches sustainability has made it clear how big the Attitude-Bebezi-Gap really is. Many people support sustainable practices, but often act opposite. This raises the exciting question of how marketing can effectively contribute to steering our behavior towards more sustainable consumption. As reports [sales management] (https://www.tamsatzwirtschaft.de/shift-happens-nachtigiger-consum- Psychology-270020/), an extensive examination of the research team around Katherine White shows that there are different psychological levers to promote sustainable behavior.

The study has developed the so-called Shift framework , which includes five central levers:

• social influence
• common formation
• self -image
• emotions and cognition
• grasp

. People tend to consume more sustainably when they see that their environment does this too. A wonderful example is solar panels that act in neighborhoods as a sign of an increasingly pronounced social norm. Marketing can act as a means of communication here by emphasizing social norms, for example by indications of reusable packaging.

The challenge of consumers

Despite all positive approaches, companies and consumers have to struggle with hurdles, as also show the [nim] (https://www.nim.org/forschung/ueberlicht-forschung-projekt/verringerung-der-attitude-behavior-gap- through. Many consumers are ready to pay more for sustainably produced products, but at the same time expect transparent information about the origin and manufacturing process. This ambiguity about the actual strength of its own preferences can lead to partly instinctive behavior that does not easily coincide with its own settings. The researchers identify four main reasons why this gap exists: social desirability, unconscious decisions, compromises between short -term advantages and long -term sustainability considerations and distrust of the statements from manufacturers.

The latter in particular is a problem that should not be underestimated. greenwashing and lack of transparency in the supply chains help to become suspicious. In order to close this gap between settings and behavior, it is crucial to build trust. Credible sustainability promises could help, as the previous experiments show. These suggest that the willingness to pay more for sustainable products increases when buyers are certain that their decision has a positive influence.

tips for sustainable consumption

The consumer survey of Statista illustrates the discrepancy between the declared convictions of consumers and their actual buying behavior. Many people value criteria such as sustainability, but often it remains with melodious words. The survey summarizes which aspects are important for consumers when purchasing food and where the actual implementation is HAPERT.

In order to bridge the gap and integrate sustainability into daily life, measures such as tangible advantages such as "Clean water in your city" could offer strong motivation. In addition, marketing campaigns should address emotionally and emphasize the feeling of belonging in order to combine a positive experience with sustainable consumption. After all, sustainability should not appear like a waiver, but as part of a desired, meaningful lifestyle that has a positive impact on society.

The goal remains to make sustainable purchase decisions into normal. With the right approach, companies can not only improve their practices, but also actively change consumer behavior and make a valuable contribution to a more sustainable future.