Coloring Sustainability: The Influence of Green Hues on Consumer Behavior

Abstract

This study aimed to address a gap in color theory and consumer behavior research regarding sustainable products. Past studies have examined how different colors and color manipulations affect perceptions and behaviors toward products that emphasize sustainability; however, green hue manipulations have remained under-researched. To investigate this, an online survey (N = 73) was conducted to assess how consumers perceived four advertisements that differed only in the green hue used (“Regular,” “Mint,” “Dark,” and “Neon”) for a fictitious laundry detergent sheet product. Respondents were evaluated on indices of perceived sustainability, brand trust, attitude & appeal, engagement with sustainability messaging, and purchase intent. Although a one-way ANOVA revealed no statistically significant differences among the hues in this study (p > .05), the results were informative about how this topic should be further explored, suggesting that cooler-toned green hues are more persuasive.