How does ESG shape consumption?
1 : University of Florida
2 : China Europe International Business School
3 : University of Hong Kong
4 : Auburn University
* : Corresponding author
We examine how ESG controversies ripple through the product market and shape consumption. We show that sales of affected products drop by 5–10%, compared to unaffected products consumed by the same household. The contraction is demand- driven, with price adjustments trailing quantity decreases by 1-2 months. Across socio- economic demographics, results are strongest in Democrat-leaning counties and among wealthy millennials, but weakest among equally wealthy baby boomers. Salience about natural disasters, product types, and issues underlying the ESG shocks also heterogeneously affect the response. In summary, we present the first household-level evidence on the financial materiality of ESG, via the consumption channel.