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Posted June 11, 2026 Reviewed by Michelle Quirk
Even if you are not familiar with the word “gamification,” the likelihood is that you have come across it when you are shopping.
It is particularly common for online shopping. Sites like ASOS and Temu use virtual spin-to-win wheels. Sephora uses pop-in progress bars to indicate how much more a shopper needs to spend before unlocking free shipping or deluxe beauty samples. And Starbucks features a visible progress bar of accumulated stars (points) to nudge shoppers to add one or two more purchases to hit their reward milestones.
Basically, gamification is when shopping environments make use of game-like mechanics in non-game contexts. Some say it makes the buying experience more engaging and rewarding, and others have termed it as addictive as sugar. Whatever the view, it works, as research shows that it makes people engage with the shopping process. The desire “to win” becomes so strong that people get hooked on the game itself and therefore keep revisiting the websites or apps that have these features.
It is hardly a secret that the world is experiencing a severe climate and biodiversity crisis. According to a report by the WWF, it is key to change how we consume, as household consumption is a key factor in combating the crisis. Consumers should buy sustainable products to minimize environmental degradation, protect personal health from toxic chemicals, and support ethical labour practices.
However, whilst people say that they care about sustainability and the environmental impact, they fail to act accordingly. In fact, it has been found that consumers tend to overlook environmental sustainability entirely when purchasing fast-moving consumer goods. They are more likely to focus on the price, what brand it is, and what the product looks like. Thus, being creative in encouraging people to make sustainable choices can help to reduce the number of unsustainable choices made.
In a recent(ish) field study looking at whether a gamified app encourages sustainable household energy use, it was found that it influenced energy-saving behaviours that resulted in significant monetary savings. However, not all studies find that gamification results in a positive outcome. Instead, it has been suggested that variables such as technological awareness, perceived enjoyment, and hedonic motivation may convolute the results.
The fact that additional variables come into play in determining the success of gamification in encouraging sustainable consumption most likely explains why some studies report very mixed results. In one study, it was found that gamification positively affects users’ sustained engagement in green activities, but at the same time, can lead to irrational behaviours. Such findings suggest that more information is required to ensure that gamification is successfully guiding sustainable consumption.
It is known that under the right conditions, gamification can generate brand loyalty. Thus, it is important to get the “gaming” format right to not only guide the immediate sustainable choice made but also to encourage repeat future choices.
Whilst gamification can certainly be used to engage consumers, it is currently not a given that it produces a change in sustainable-based consumer choices and behaviours.
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Cathrine Jansson-Boyd, Ph.D., is a Consumer Psychologist based at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK.
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The best way to begin something new—in love, work, and life.
Self Tests are all about you. Are you outgoing or introverted? Are you a narcissist? Does perfectionism hold you back? Find out the answers to these questions and more with Psychology Today.