A Better Way to Market Sustainable Products: Insights from NYU Stern & PwC Research

Sustainable products win favor with consumers. Companies find demand hard to capture. NYU Stern’s Center for Sustainable Business and PwC join forces. Their research guides how to market these products well. The work shows how to grow sales and support higher prices.

The Business Case for Sustainable Products

Sustainable consumer goods show strong sales. Researchers analyzed 12 years of US point-of-sale data. They looked at 36 categories that cover about 40% of the consumer packaged goods market. CSB’s work found that:

• Sustainability-marketed items grow 12.3% every year (2019-2024). They grow 2.3 times faster than regular products.
• By 2024, these products make up 23.8% of total sales in tracked categories.
• Sustainable products earn higher prices. They sell for 26.6% more on average than conventional products. In paper products, the premium tops 100%. In coffee and chocolate, the premium nears 50%.
• PwC surveys show that consumers are willing to pay roughly 9.7% more.

The study shows that investments in sustainable products can bring real economic returns.

Key Strategies for Marketing Sustainable Products

1. Understand Your Customer Segments

Sustainable products click with:

• Millennials,
• College-educated buyers,
• Urban residents,
• High-income groups.

These groups show strong links to sustainable choices. In some cases, like dairy, all age groups show steady sustainable sales.

2. Craft Compelling, Balanced Messaging

Good marketing connects product features and sustainability. It pairs:

• Core attributes (taste, scent, or effectiveness)
• With one or two clear sustainability claims

Research by CSB and Edelman finds that this link ups the product appeal by 30 percentage points.

Example: In skincare, saying "formulated with sustainable ingredients" tied to "good for your skin" offers a clear, strong connection. This pair beats vague sustainability talk.

3. Prioritize Credible and Consumer-Valued Claims

Consumers value claims linked to their needs. They favor statements that focus on:

• Protecting human health by avoiding harmful ingredients,
• Saving money,
• Supporting local farms and food systems,
• Helping children and future generations,
• Caring for animal welfare,
• Using local or sustainable sourcing.

People find some claims less helpful. Claims over scientific properties like biodegradability or climate neutrality, and claims based only on traceability or certifications, do not link as well on their own.

4. Use Precise and Evidence-Based Claims

Words such as "clean" or "natural" can cause legal issues. This risk grows if the products touch children or skin. Companies must always:

• Monitor new regulations like the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive and the Green Claims Directive,
• Back up claims with scientific data and meet international standards,
• Build transparent value chains and clear traceability.

Each step links the claim to proof.

Conclusion

Sustainable products hold a growing share of the market. They offer strong growth and premium price chances. Marketers can do more by:

• Targeting the best customer groups,
• Crafting messages that link product benefits and sustainability,
• Focusing on credible, clear claims,
• Validating claims with solid evidence and clear links to the supply chain.

Following these linked, data-driven steps builds trust, enhances appeal, and fully taps the power of sustainable products.

About the Authors

• Tensie Whelan: She is a Distinguished Professor of Practice at NYU Stern and the Founding Director of the NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business.
• David Linich: He is a Principal at PwC US. He works on decarbonization and sustainable operations.

References

• NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business (2025).
• PwC Consumer Surveys (2024).
• Circana Point-of-Sale Data Analysis (2012-2024).

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