Less saturated, more eco‐friendly: Color saturation and consumer perception of product sustainability

Abstract Color saturation —the color's purity and intensity (also known as vividness)—is a visual feature that has been under‐investigated in the context of green marketing. To advance knowledge of this topic, we performed five experimental studies to confirm that consumers tend to unconsciously associate low color saturation with a product's “gentler” impact on the environment. This perception of eco‐friendliness, in turn, increases their trust in the product maker's greenness. Our research disentangles the direct and indirect impact (via consumers' perceptions of materials' naturalness, product authenticity, and product durability) of low‐saturation colors on the perceived eco‐friendliness of consumer products. Furthermore, the results reveal that, by fostering perceptions of eco‐friendliness and green trust, such colors favorably influence consumers' behavioral intentions (i.e., their purchase intention and intention to pay a premium price for the product). Ultimately, the paper provides useful insights for companies and marketers interested in leveraging the meaning of color saturation to elicit perceptions of environmental compatibility.