Wharton School

First Insight and the Baker Retailing Center at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania asked senior retail executives and consumers in the U.S. how sustainable practices are impacting consumers’ shopping habits and purchase decisions. The results point to a profound sustainability knowledge gap between these two cohorts, which presents opportunities for retailers not only to bolster their reputations and enhance consumer loyalty but also to increase profits. Retailers and consumers are disconnected on factors ranging from consumers’ willingness to pay more for sustainable products to their utilization and preference for resale/recommerce models.