Don’t Be Fooled By Brands That Do One Good Ethical Thing, Say Economists

You know how brands and companies like to advertise their One Ethical Behavior? It’s usually listed right on the label: Sustainable materials! Organic! Hormone-free! Local! Etc! Last year, for instance, Kind and Clif Bar dueled on Twitter over theirs. Clif Bar: “We source 117 organic ingredients across our supply chain. Won’t you join us?” Kind: “It’s deceptive to pass off organic brown rice syrup as healthy. We’d be happy to share why we always lead with nutrient-dense ingredients.” It turns out that companies do this because it works: A company touting its One Ethical Behavior will likely manipulate you into a purchase. New research published in PLoS One shows that consumers equate that single ethical action to mean THIS PRODUCT IS GOOD FOR THE WORLD, which, in turn, makes them feel ethical and shell out cash. Read more at Fast Company.