Own brand or any brand? The impact of recycled material sources on consumers’ purchase intentions
Drawing on signaling theory, this study demonstrates that consumers exhibit stronger purchase intentions for recycled products when the materials originate from the brand itself rather than any brand, an effect driven by enhanced perceptions of brand essence and moderated by brand status and product category consistency.
Original paper licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). This is an AI-generated explanation of the paper below. It is not written or endorsed by the authors. For technical accuracy, refer to the original paper. Read full disclaimer
In the modern marketplace, a growing number of companies are turning to recycled materials to build new products, a shift driven by the urgent need to reduce waste and conserve resources. When a consumer sees an item made from reclaimed plastic or old fabric, they are often weighing two competing thoughts: the environmental good of recycling against the fear that the product might be lower quality or "contaminated" by its past life. To navigate this uncertainty, shoppers rely on signals—observable clues that hint at the hidden qualities of a product. One such signal is the origin of the recycled material itself. Does the company use only its own discarded items, or does it gather waste from any brand, including competitors? This question sits at the heart of a new investigation into how the source of recycled content shapes what people are willing to buy. The research explores whether the story a brand tells about where its materials come from changes how consumers perceive the brand's true identity and, consequently, their desire to own the product.
A team of researchers set out to understand this dynamic by conducting a series of experiments involving hundreds of participants. They began by presenting people with a scenario where they were shopping for a pair of running shoes. In one version, the shoes were described as being made entirely from recycled shoes of the same brand. In the other version, the shoes were made from recycled shoes of any brand, collected from a mix of manufacturers. The results were clear and consistent: people expressed a significantly stronger intention to buy the shoes when the materials came from the brand's own previous products rather than from a mix of any brand. The study found that this preference was not just a random quirk but was driven by a specific psychological mechanism. When a brand recycles its own materials, consumers perceive a stronger sense of "brand essence." This is the feeling that a product remains true to the company's core identity, history, and values. By reusing its own materials, the brand signals continuity and authenticity, reassuring the buyer that the new product inherits the quality and character of the old one. In contrast, using materials from any brand creates a sense of disconnect, making the product feel less like a natural extension of the company and more like a generic mixture, which weakens that sense of identity and lowers the desire to purchase.
The researchers also discovered that this effect is not the same for every type of company. They tested whether the reputation of the brand mattered by presenting the same scenarios with a high-status, premium brand versus a low-status, mass-market brand. The findings showed that the source of the recycled material mattered most when the brand was well-known and held in high regard. For these prestigious brands, using their own recycled materials significantly boosted purchase intentions because it reinforced their image of exclusivity and consistency. However, for lower-status brands, the source of the material made little difference to the consumer's decision. These brands are often judged more on their functional value and price than on their symbolic identity, so the story of where the materials came from did not strongly influence how people felt about the product. The study further examined whether the type of product changed the outcome. When the recycled material matched the product category—such as turning old running shoes into new running shoes—the effect of using the brand's own materials was stronger. When the categories did not match, the signal became less effective, and the source of the material had less impact on the buyer's choice.
Through these carefully controlled experiments, the study provides a clear picture of how consumers interpret the stories brands tell about sustainability. It suggests that for companies aiming to sell recycled products, the narrative of origin is just as important as the environmental benefit itself. By choosing to recycle their own materials, especially if they are a well-established brand, companies can strengthen the perception that their new products are authentic and true to their heritage. This approach helps overcome the hesitation some shoppers feel toward recycled goods, turning a potential concern about quality into a signal of trust. The research does not claim that this is the only factor in a purchase decision, but it highlights a powerful, previously overlooked lever that brands can pull to make their sustainable efforts more appealing to the public.
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