Sustainability Requires More Than Just Small Steps
08.07.2026
Companies are investing billions in sustainability. But which initiatives actually resonate with consumers?
A recent study by a research team led by Prof. Dr. Sabine Kuester (University of Mannheim), Dr. Angeliki Kalogeraki (SharkNinja Germany GmbH) and Prof. Dr. Ludwig Bstieler (University of New Hampshire) shows: Not every sustainable product innovation is valued equally by consumers.
Published in the Journal of Product Innovation Management, the study examines how consumers respond to different types of sustainable product innovation. The researchers distinguish between incremental innovations, which improve existing products through measures such as better recyclability or greater resource efficiency, and radical innovations, which rely on new technologies and fundamentally rethink sustainability.
Key results
The findings reveal a clear pattern: radical sustainable innovations generate significantly more positive consumer responses. They lead to higher purchase intentions, greater willingness to pay, and more favorable evaluations of the company itself. According to the researchers, the difference lies not only in the innovation, but also in the motives consumers attribute to the company behind it.
“Consumers generally accept that companies want to make a profit,” explains Prof. Dr. Sabine Kuester. “What matters, however, is whether they also believe the company is genuinely committed to sustainability and acts out of authentic conviction.”
The difference between radical and incremental innovations
This is precisely where radical and incremental innovations differ. Consumers are more likely to perceive radical innovations as evidence of a company's genuine commitment to sustainability. Incremental improvements, by contrast, tend to be interpreted as responses to market demands or regulatory requirements. In both cases, the pursuit of profit is seen as a given. The success of sustainable innovation therefore depends not on the absence of economic motives, but on the presence of credible environmental intentions alongside them.
The effects are even stronger for companies that already have a positive sustainability reputation. In these cases, consumers are even more likely to interpret radical innovations as a sign of long-term, authentic commitment to sustainability.
Implications
Another remarkable finding is how broadly these results apply. The researchers observed the same effects across a wide range of product categories, from technology-intensive products such as smartphones and washing machines to everyday consumer goods. The underlying psychological pattern proved to be remarkably stable across different types of product categories.
This sends a clear message to companies: sustainability pays off particularly well when it is backed by genuine technological progress and a credible sustainability strategy. Consumers reward not only sustainable products, but above all the conviction they perceive behind those innovations.