With the government leading by example, green defaults and aisles guide buyers towards sustainable choices and help to reduce emissions.
What unsustainable behaviour needs to change:
In government and corporate procurement, conventional or “brown” products are often the default choice and lack eco-certifications. This is partly due to “salience bias“—where buyers tend to choose products that are more prominently displayed—and the “default effect,” where buyers stick with the first option provided. Because government purchases occur on a massive scale, sticking with non-sustainable defaults has a significant environmental impact.
By shifting these defaults to eco-labelled products in procurement processes (tenders), governments could encourage widespread sustainable choices and reduce emissions.
The Green Nudge:
The “Green Aisle” approach uses two behavioural nudges to promote sustainable choices in public and corporate procurement:
Increasing Salience of Green Choices: By positioning eco-labelled items like FSC-certified paper or Energy Star electronics prominently in tender lists, the Green Aisle makes these sustainable products more visible. This concept builds on research by Thaler and Sunstein (2008), which found that placing healthy or sustainable options at eye level can encourage people to select them.
Defaulting to Eco-Labels: Setting sustainable products as the default choice leverages the default effect, nudging buyers to stick with eco-friendly options. Pichert and Katsikopoulos (2008) demonstrated that when renewable energy was set as the default, 94% of participants chose it. Applying this principle to government procurement could significantly shift institutional purchasing toward greener choices.
The Result: Research indicates that when eco-labelled products are made more salient and the default option in tenders, buyers are far more likely to choose them. Making “green” the easy choice in government and corporate procurement has the potential to drive substantial reductions in emissions.
Small changes in procurement defaults can lead to big sustainability gains.
Do you know of any other nudges that promote sustainable procurement? Feel free to get in touch: hello@green-nudges.com
From Désirée Klingler, professor for public and climate law at the University of St. Gallen. She specialises in applying behavioural economics and law to guide governments and corporations towards socially and environmentally sustainable choices.
