Surprisingly unsustainable: How and when hindsight biases shape consumer evaluations of unsustainable and sustainable products

Sustainability as a vital purchase criterion in sustainable consumption contexts is often biased by misguided information. In this context, we investigate the hindsight bias, i.e., consumers think that they knew what would happen all along, may lead to evaluated attributes of unsustainable or products correctly time while did not, devaluating downstream marketing variables. This paper experimentally investigates bias manipulating information about products' sustainability. We focus on two perspectives biases, namely, and psychology, explore interaction surprise set online studies (Study 1: n = 300; Study 2: 461), found group-based for high-involvement, 1) individual biases low-involvement, 2). Contributing both, mostly separately researched perspectives, conclude neither predominantly correct. Instead, both jointly determine why evaluate differently. Confronted with surprising, causes increases intention word mouth. contrast, show opposed effects. Implications practice when product can unintentionally cause greenwashing how should be communicated underline product's