This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: The scent of fresh laundry in a store encourages people to spend more on secondhand clothes than the scent of citrus or the typical scent of secondhand clothes does. This is according to research by psychologists Matteo Perini and Jasper de Groot of Radboud University.
The researchers suggest that this effect is linked to people's tendency to avoid pathogens. The paper is published in the journal Evolution and Human Behavior. "People have an evolutionary tendency to avoid potential sources of infection," explains Perini.
"That's why we don't eat food that is moldy or smells bad. We try to do everything we can to avoid pathogens. This makes sense when it comes to food or drink, but our research shows that the same mechanism can also influence whether or not we buy secondhand clothes." For the study, the psychologists placed several scent diffusers in inconspicuous spots around a secondhand store.
On one day, the diffusers released a citrus scent; on another, the scent of fresh laundry; and on the third day, no scent was used. "We found that only the scent of fresh laundry caused people to spend more. It was particularly effective among people who scored relatively high on a scale measuring fear of contamination.
So, among precisely the people we expected to be most affected by the scent, we saw the strongest effect." A laboratory experiment also showed that people exposed to the scent of fresh laundry perceived secondhand clothes as being worth more and less unhygienic. "The scent of fresh laundry therefore reduces people's perception of potential contamination," explains De Groot. "I've been conducting research on scent in the lab for many years, but it remains fascinating to see how strongly scent can influence people's behavior in the real world," says De Groot.
"This is particularly interesting when it comes to behaviors that can be considered more sustainable." Matteo Perini et al, Sustainability going viral: pathogen avoidance as a barrier to second-hand consumption addressable by smell-based interventions, Evolution and Human Behavior (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2026.106893 Journal information: Evolution and Human Behavior BSc Life Sciences & Ecology. Microbiology lab background with pharmaceutical news experience in oil, gas, and renewable industries.
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