Shaping “green” choices: the role of information, product appearance and environmental attitudes in consumers’ willingness to pay for sustainable food packaging

Increasing environmental pressure and the transition to a circular economy are redefining the priorities of the agri-food sector, particularly in the development of sustainable food packaging solutions. This study estimates consumers' willingness to pay for an innovative biodegradable material, made from citrus pectin and glycerol, tested on a real product (a 30g pack of shelled almonds). By means of a non-hypothetical Random Nth-Price auction conducted on 100 participants, the effects of environmental information, visual/tactile sensory exposure and individual characteristics on economic evaluation are analyzed. The experimental design, consisting of two treatments and nine auction rounds, varied the sequence of exposure and communication. The results show a “sustainability penalty”: unfamiliar aesthetic features reduce willingness to pay, even in the presence of detailed environmental information. The order of exposure proves decisive, with first impressions prevailing over cognitive reformulations. Multivariate analysis shows that attributes such as naturalness and practicality positively moderate willingness to pay, while generic environmental attitudes are not significant. The study highlights the importance of integrating sensory design, technological innovation and narrative communication to foster the adoption of high-potential sustainable pre-commercial materials.