In consumer research published on 11 September 2026, Bain reported that respondents said they would pay an 18% premium for products with sustainability benefits, and a 24% premium when a product offered both health and sustainability benefits. These figures describe the size of a price premium; they do not mean that 18% or 24% of respondents are willing to pay more. Bain study
For companies planning sustainable products, the results can inform a pricing hypothesis to test. The survey does not show that a specific product will still sell at a higher price, nor that health and environmental claims apply to every product category.
Read the sample scope with the findings
In the same study, 85% of respondents said they were concerned about environmental sustainability, up from 79% in 2025. Bain described this as the first increase in three years. The 2026 sample included 7,499 people in the United States, United Kingdom, Italy, Brazil and Indonesia; it did not include Taiwan. The countries and sample sizes in earlier survey years also differed. Bain chart 1 and notes
The 85% figure therefore describes the concern reported by this sample. Before discussing a year-over-year change, check country composition, weighting and whether the questions are comparable. A company presentation should not turn an overall increase directly into a claim that demand among Taiwanese customers has risen.
Turn the study into a product test log
The following are practical suggestions based on the study's limitations, not results validated by Bain. Select one product and one existing customer segment, hold specifications, delivery and transaction terms constant, then observe choices under different information and pricing arrangements.
| What to learn | Suggested records |
|---|---|
| Which benefit matters to customers | Customer questions, evidence requested and reasons for not purchasing |
| Which price can close a sale | Actual quotes, quantities, discounts, wins and losses |
| Whether an environmental claim is supportable | Calculation scope, comparison baseline, data date and available evidence |
Record the claim and price separately. If packaging, price and sales channel all change at once, it will be difficult to identify what affected the result. Health, safety and environmental benefits also need their own evidence; one should not be substituted for another in product copy simply because respondents associated them.
Sales, product and quality staff can first compile current evidence and distinguish assumptions supported by sales records from those based only on interviews or market research. That review can guide whether to invest in another product test.
Source checked: 26 September 2026.