While consumers are more likely to “go green” on the high street where they can be seen making altruistic choices, the privacy of online shopping brings out an entirely different behaviour.

When people are not being watched by their peers they are more willing to shun the ethical products in favour of comfort and convenience, the report says.

The habit has been studied by Vladas Griskevicius, of the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management, who found eco-friendly shopping decisions are not always motivated by a social conscious.

He discovered that people were more likely to buy energy efficient light bulbs from the shops, but tended to opt for the old-fashioned type online.

The same trend was also found when people purchased white goods, electronics and even domestic cleaning products over the internet.

“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,” he said.

In the paper “Going Green to Be Seen: Status, Reputation, and Conspicuous Conservation”, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, the authors found that people would only forego luxury when others could see it.

Mr Griskevicius picks out the Toyota Prius car as a prime example. Celebrities including Leonardo DiCaprio and Cameron Diaz have been photographed behind the wheel of a Prius, despite being well able to afford a more powerful and expensive car, sending the message that they are concerned for the environment.

“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 the report.

The study also showed that people were often more willing to buy green products when they were the most expensive option, because it showed they could afford to be caring.

An example is paying for canvas tote bags to take to the supermarket, rather than relying on the free but environmentally dubious plastic variety.

“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,” Mr Griskevicius said.

* The green choice: high street vs online

While shoppers are more likely to buy environmentally friendly products on the high street where they can be seen to make the selfless choice, but behind closed doors it is a different matter.

Groceries – In the supermarket shoppers may be drawn to organic vegetables that are grown without chemical pesticides and are considered better for the environment. However, doing an online shop the cheaper option may seem more attractive.

Nappies – Some mothers feel under pressure to buy cloth nappies for their babies rather than contribute to landfill sites with the disposable kind. However, over the internet they may be tempted to stick with convenience.

Televisions – When buying televisions online shoppers tend to opt for the best bargain. However, when faced with energy efficiency labels in store, they may be persuaded to go for the greener option.

Source: The Telegraph, 17th March 2010

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