For many marketers, millennials represent the ideal target segment for these offerings. They are widely perceived as environmentally conscious, health-oriented and values-driven. As a result, significant investment has gone into developing and promoting green beauty products aimed at this cohort.
But there is a critical question that marketers need to confront: are positive attitudes toward sustainability translating into actual purchasing behaviour?
Our recent study, published in the European Journal of Management Studies, set out to answer this question within the South African context. The findings suggest that while marketers are not entirely wrong in their assumptions about millennials, they may be oversimplifying how this segment makes decisions.
The starting point for this research was a persistent assumption in both industry and academia: that consumers who express concern for the environment will naturally prefer and purchase sustainable products.
While this assumption is appealing, it does not always hold in practice, particularly in emerging markets such as South Africa, where economic realities and structural constraints play a significant role in shaping consumer behaviour.
The purpose of our study was therefore twofold:
By doing so, we aimed to provide marketers with evidence-based insights that go beyond surface-level perceptions of the “green consumer”.
The global organic personal care market is projected to grow from $18.45 billion in 2023 to $26.20 billion by 2028, reflecting sustained global demand for sustainable products.
South Africa is an important part of this landscape. As the largest cosmetics market in Africa, it presents a significant growth opportunity for both local and international brands.
At the same time, consumer awareness is rising. Millennials, in particular, are increasingly attentive to:
On the surface, this suggests a market that is primed for green beauty.
However, our findings indicate that awareness does not automatically translate into purchasing behaviour.
The first set of findings confirms that South African millennials hold positive attitudes toward organic personal care products.
Three factors were found to significantly influence these attitudes:
Health consciousness
Consumers who are more concerned about their personal wellbeing are more likely to favour organic products. The link between “what I use” and “my health” is becoming increasingly important.
Environmental consciousness
Awareness of environmental issues continues to play a significant role in shaping favourable attitudes toward sustainable products.
Subjective norms
Social influence matters. Consumers are more likely to develop positive attitudes when people important to them: friends, peers or influencers support or endorse organic products.
Quality perceptions
Importantly, even at the attitudinal level, perceptions of product quality influence how consumers evaluate organic offerings.
For marketers, this is a critical insight: attitudes toward green beauty are not driven by sustainability alone, they are multi-dimensional.
The more important and more challenging insight emerges when we examine purchase intentions.
Our study found that perceived product quality is the strongest predictor of purchase intention, outweighing sustainability-related factors.
This has significant implications.
While sustainability messaging may generate interest and positive sentiment, it is not sufficient to drive conversion. Consumers ultimately make purchase decisions based on whether they believe the product will:
In other words, green positioning does not replace the need for strong core product performance.
To address this gap, marketers need to understand the barriers that stand in the way of purchase:
Price sensitivity
Organic products are often positioned at a premium. In a price-conscious market, this limits adoption, even among consumers with positive attitudes.
Limited availability
Distribution remains uneven. If products are not available in mainstream retail environments, purchase likelihood decreases.
Trust and credibility issues
Consumers are increasingly sceptical of vague or unverified “green” claims. Without clear proof, sustainability messaging may be discounted.
Performance uncertainty
Many consumers remain unsure whether organic products can match the effectiveness of conventional alternatives.
These barriers highlight a key point: the decision not to buy is often rational, not contradictory.
The findings challenge a common industry approach that prioritises sustainability messaging as the primary driver of demand.
Instead, marketers need to rethink how green beauty is positioned.
Lead with performance, not just purpose
Consumers must first be convinced that the product works. Sustainability should enhance the value proposition—not replace it.
Reinforce perceived quality
Invest in demonstrations, user reviews, clinical evidence and before-and-after results to strengthen quality perceptions.
Reduce access barriers
Consider pricing strategies, smaller pack sizes or broader distribution to make products more accessible.
Build trust through transparency
Clear labelling, credible certifications and honest communication are essential in overcoming scepticism.
Translate sustainability into personal value
Rather than focusing solely on environmental impact, connect sustainability to tangible consumer benefits such as skin health and safety.
One of the biggest misconceptions in marketing is the idea of a uniformly “green” consumer.
Our findings suggest that South African millennials are better understood as value-driven pragmatists.
They care about sustainability but not at any cost.
They are willing to support ethical products but only when those products meet their expectations in terms of:
This is not a limitation of the market, it is a reality that marketers must design for.
This article draws from a Master’s research project conducted by Mongezi Lupindo, as well as a co-authored academic publication by Mongezi Lupindo, Dr. Siphiwe Dlamini, and Prof. Nkosivile Madinga.
