Shopping therapy? Stress restoration in retailing

Abstract

Shopping is often a particularly stressful activity. The positive influence of vegetation on human psychological functioning has already been empirically demonstrated in work-, home-, and hospital environments, but not yet in a retail store context. This study aims to examine (1) whether the presence of in-store vegetation can alleviate stress in consumers, and (2) the extent to which consumer stress reduction has a beneficial effect on perceptions and patronage behavior. The findings of a between-subjects experimental design (n = 151) provide partial support for both questions.