<p>Stress is a primary emotional experience for many consumers in their daily lives. Drawing on research on prosocial behavior, this study investigates how stress influences preferences for ethical products. We propose that stress reduces consumers’ beliefs that their consumption decisions can impact environmental and social outcomes, thereby leading them to prioritize self-interest over ethical considerations. Consequently, stress may negatively affect ethical consumption. Across four studies using both survey and experimental data, we provide converging evidence for these hypotheses. Specifically, our findings demonstrate that both inter- and intraindividual variations in stress are associated with reduced ethical consumption. Furthermore, we identify a serial mediation pathway through which stress lowers perceived consumer effectiveness, increases selfish tendencies, and ultimately reduces ethical product choice. Moreover, the negative effect of stress is moderated by product domain: Stressed consumers are more likely to choose standard over ethical products when purchasing utilitarian rather than hedonic goods. These findings offer important implications for marketers of sustainable products aiming to promote ethical consumption.</p>