Value Perception of Green Products: An Exploratory Study Combining Conscious Answers and Unconscious Behavioral Aspects

Lorenzo Maccioni, Yuri Borgianni and Demis Basso
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Lorenzo Maccioni: Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, 39100 Bolzano, Italy
Yuri Borgianni: Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, 39100 Bolzano, Italy
Demis Basso: CESLab, Faculty of Education, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, 39042 Brixen, Italy

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 5, 1-41

Abstract: Previous studies have failed to provide a comprehensive view on the value perception of green products. The present research takes up this challenge through an experiment in which 43 participants have interacted with and evaluated 40 products—20 baseline products and 20 green products of the same categories. The experiment included both self-assessments to monitor conscious evaluations of the products and biometric measurements (Eye-Tracking and Galvanic Skin Response) to capture unconscious aspects. The results show that different forms of perceived value emerge clearly. Green products, for which participants required greater efforts in the search for relevant information, boost the value attributed to creative solutions still believed of high quality. This effect is significantly more evident for participants showing remarkable interest for sustainability issues. Conversely, alternative products feature greater value perception because they are acknowledged to be functional and reliable.

Keywords: green products; value perception; eco-design; eye-tracking; biometric measures; attitude-behavior gap; willingness to pay; estimated price; creativity; principal component analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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