People 'buy green products in public but luxury items online'

Researchers found that people shopping alone online tend to choose luxurious products that enhance comfort.

But when shopping in public, people are more likely to choose green products so that they are seen as altruistic.

"Green purchases are often motivated by status," said Vladas Griskevicius, assistant professor of marketing at the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management.

"People want to be seen as being altruistic. Nothing communicates that better than by buying green products that often cost more and are of lower quality but benefit the environment for everyone."

In the paper Going Green to Be Seen: Status, Reputation, and Conspicuous Conservation, Griskevicius and co-authors find that people will forgo luxury and comfort for a green item but only when others can see the purchase.

"Many green purchases are rooted in the evolutionary idea of competitive altruism, the notion that people compete for status by trying to appear more altruistic," added Griskevicius.

The Toyota Prius car is cited as a prime example, serving as a mobile, self-promoting billboard for environmentalist beliefs.

"A reputation for being a caring individual gives you status and prestige. When you publicly display your environmentally friendly nature, you send the signal that you care," said Griskevicius.

The study also showed that status as a motive increased the desirability of green products especially when such products cost more relative to non-green products.

"When you are motivated by status, you will forgo luxury features to obtain an inferior green product that tells others that you care," added the researcher.