Sustainability Going Viral: Pathogen Avoidance as a Barrier to Second-Hand Consumption Addressable by Smell-Based Interventions

The fashion industry is a major environmental polluter, and behavioral scientists can investigate strategies to reduce obstacles to second-hand sustainable solutions. We propose an evolutionary framework rooted in the behavioral immune system literature as a comprehensive explanation for differences in attitudes toward second-hand clothing. We postulate that second-hand clothing triggers evolved pathogen-avoidance mechanisms that form a barrier to second-hand purchases. This barrier, however, can be mitigated by hygiene-related sensory cues, like a clean-laundry odor. In a field study (N = 257), we counterbalanced three odor conditions (clean-laundry, citrus, and regular store odor) and found that the clean-laundry scent significantly boosted purchasing behavior, overriding the negative effect of germ-aversion. Indeed, among customers, higher levels of pathogen avoidance resulted in less spending and more negative attitudes toward second-hand clothing. Further support for this mechanistic model was provided by experimentally increasing pathogen salience in survey responders, which resulted in more negative attitudes toward second-hand clothing, and a lab pilot study showing that clean-laundry scent significantly reduced pathogen concerns while enhancing perceived garments’ value and appeal. Taken together, this research highlights the critical role of pathogen-avoidance mechanisms and olfactory cleanliness cues in shaping consumer behavior, offering a novel path for promoting environmentally sustainable consumer practices.