NEW YORK - Feelings are what??s needed to sell eco-friendly products, according to a new study from Integer Group and M/A/R/C Research. Close to a quarter of all shoppers will shell out more money for "something if it makes them feel like they are contributing to saving the environment," Media News Daily reports.

"The Checkout" study found that shoppers between the ages of 18 and 34 are "slower to embrace" paying more for environmentally friendly merchandise than those between the ages of 35 and 44, and 55 and 64. People age 55 and older had a "higher eco-consciousness" than younger ones.

With eco-friendly merchandise and organic products often more costly, Randy Wahl, executive vice president with M/A/R/C Research suggested that "green marketers" should think about developing a rewards?"not necessarily financial?"program to promote their products.

"Marketers must focus on the emotional need instead of only the functional benefits if they want to see change," said Wahl. "They need to make it worth their while. Price and quality are largely functional benefits. An emotional reward that focuses on how consumers feel versus the functional environmental benefit is the territory in which marketers must play."

"To change behavior, the incentive must be compelling with tangible benefits," said Craig Elston with the Integer Group. "If shoppers can't see or feel an immediate reward for this new behavior - saving money, time, creating social change, etc.-- they'll opt to stick with what they know."