Shedding light on the rebound effects of sustainable consumption

This blog post explores how sustainable consumption may, paradoxically, lead to increased consumption and other unintended consequences – a phenomenon known as the rebound effect of sustainable consumption.

When doing good might do harm

Sustainable consumption is usually seen as a solution to the overuse of natural resources (Quoquab et al., 2019). People are encouraged to buy environmentally friendly products or switch to greener services, believing that these actions reduce their impact on the planet. Yet, the idea that making one green choice automatically leads to a more sustainable lifestyle can be misleading. For instance, buying sustainable products may seem like a positive step, but it can also lead to overconsumption or unnecessary spending when done impulsively (Beikverdi, 2024). This tendency, often overlooked, reflects what researchers call the rebound effect, where sustainability efforts unintentionally trigger behaviours that cancel out the intended benefits (Murray, 2013).

Previous studies have shown that technical improvements or efficient practices do not always reduce environmental impacts, because people may use the “saved” resources elsewhere. In the case of energy-efficient appliances, for example, users might increase usage or spend the savings on other goods, thus maintaining or even increasing their overall environmental footprint (Binswanger, 2001). In a similar way, people might overconsume green products, make unnecessary purchases, or return more items, especially when shopping online (Cornish, 2019; Powers & Jack, 2015). In addition, the attention of researchers is mainly focused on the environmental implications of sustainable choices; however, social and economic dimensions of sustainability are overlooked (White et al., 2019). Therefore, sustainability needs to be understood in a broader context – one that includes not only environmental but also social and economic dimensions.

A fresh angle on a complex issue

While earlier studies focused mostly on environmental outcomes, the EcoRebound project takes a more comprehensive view. It aims to explore how sustainable consumption can create rebound effects across environmental, social, and economic domains. For example, new technologies like AI-based product recommendations and self-service checkout systems may support convenience, accessibility and environmental knowledge. Yet they also risk encouraging unnecessary purchases, shaping consumer habits in subtle ways (von der Assen, 2023; Noble & Mende, 2023). In addition, these technologies potentially lead to unsustainable consequences from a social perspective (e.g., loss of job due to widespread AI). These developments raise ethical questions and show how difficult it is to evaluate the full impact of sustainability-driven innovations.

This emerging research builds on insights from Beikverdi’s (2024) doctoral dissertation, which examined how consumers may impulsively buy green-labelled products without considering whether they truly need them. It adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that rebound effects are not limited to energy use or financial savings but are also linked to psychological and behavioural patterns.

Early steps and industry collaboration

To move this research forward, collaboration with industry plays a key role. The EcoRebound team has already begun working with key organisations, which have shown strong interest in exploring these themes further. The aim is to organise workshops, share early findings and increase awareness of the rebound effects of sustainable consumption. By working together with companies, the project hopes to generate practical knowledge that can inform marketing strategies, product design, and consumer education.

Looking closer at what lies beneath

To understand the rebound effects more clearly, the project combines different research methods. A systematic review of existing literature will be followed by qualitative interviews to gain a deeper understanding of consumer behaviour. This approach will allow the researchers to explore both conscious choices and unconscious habits that drive consumption. For instance, people might believe they are making sustainable choices while continuing to buy more than they need or returning products without much thought. These patterns reveal a gap between sustainable intentions and real-world outcomes.

Final thoughts

Sustainable consumption is not as straightforward as it may seem. While many people aim to make environmentally responsible choices, those actions can lead to unintended rebound effects in other sustainability dimensions. The EcoRebound project argues that it is time to take a closer look at these hidden consequences and expand the discussion to include all aspects of sustainability – environmental, social, and economic. As digital technology continues to shape how we shop and consume, understanding these effects becomes increasingly important for researchers, businesses, and policymakers alike.

This study is conducted under Arcada UAS’s EcoRebound project, and the first results are expected in spring 2026. By studying rebound effects in greater depth, we can design better systems that truly support sustainability, rather than simply shifting the problem elsewhere.

D.Sc. Lana Beikverdi, Senior Lecturer, Arcada

References

Beikverdi, L. (2024). Uncovering impulse buying behaviour in sustainable settings. https://lutpub.lut.fi/handle/10024/168444

Binswanger, M. (2001). Technological progress and sustainable development: What about the rebound effect? Ecological Economics, 36(1), 119–132. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0921-8009(00)00214-7

Cornish, L. S. (2019). Why did I buy this? Consumers’ post-impulse-consumption experience and its impact on the propensity for future impulse buying behaviour. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 19(1), 36–46. https://doi.org/10.1002/cb.1792

Frey, S., Am, J. B., Doshi, V., Malik, A., & Noble, S. (2023). Consumers care about sustainability—and back it up with their wallets. McKinsey Insights. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx…

Murray, C. K. (2013). What if consumers decided to all “go green”? Environmental rebound effects from consumption decisions. Energy Policy, 54, 240–256. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2012.11.025

Noble, S. M., & Mende, M. (2023). The future of artificial intelligence and robotics in the retail and service sector: Sketching the field of consumer-robot-experiences. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 51(4), 747–756.

Powers, T. L., & Jack, E. P. (2015). Understanding the causes of retail product returns. International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management, 43(12), 1182–1202. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJRDM-02-2014-0023

Quoquab, F., Mohammad, J., & Sukari, N. N. (2019). A multiple-item scale for measuring “sustainable consumption behaviour” construct: Development and psychometric evaluation. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, 31(4), 791–816. https://doi.org/10.1108/APJML-02-2018-0047    

von der Assen, L. (2023). Digitalization as a Provider of Sustainability?—The Role and Acceptance of Digital Technologies in Fashion Stores. Sustainability, 15(5), 4621.

White, K., Habib, R., & Hardisty, D. J. (2019). How to SHIFT consumer behaviors to be more sustainable: A literature review and guiding framework. Journal of Marketing, 83(3), 22–49. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022242919825649