Bridging the Attitude-Behavior Gap: The Potential of Innovative Technologies at the POS

Green consumption values, the tendency to express the value of environmental protection through one's purchases and consumption behaviors (Haws et al. 2014), are said to be an important consumer trend. However, in many shopping situations those attitudes do not  translate into actual green purchase behavior1, a phenomenon also known as „attitude-behavior gap“. 

From a business perspective, this gap represents a significant challenge. Companies that invest in the (often expensive) development, manufacture and marketing of environmentally friendly products may not see the expected return on investment if consumers do not buy these products despite their favorable attitudes. This can hinder companies' efforts to generate a positive ROI and gain a competitive advantage through green offerings.

Traditional marketing instruments are often ineffective in overcoming the attitude-behavior gap. Therefore, innovative approaches are needed to bridge this gap. Recent studies suggest that digital technologies could play an important role in influencing consumer behavior toward sustainability. However, research comparing digital technologies at the point of sale (POS) according to their respective impacts on purchase behavior is still lacking.

Therefore, the research question this project aims to answer is: Which digital technologies at the POS can support customers and facilitate decisions in line with their values and attitudes toward sustainability?

This project will advance the understanding of how digital technologies can affect green purchase behavior and if such technologies can help to overcome the attitude-behavior gap when it comes to purchasing sustainable goods. By studying consumers’ responses to different digital technologies at the POS, e. g., AR, chatbot, and robots, marketers can uncover new opportunities to bridge the attitude-behavior-gap.