What does sustainability mean to your shoppers? 🪴

We all want to be more sustainable, right?

According to Kantar’s recent ‘Who Cares? Who Does?’ study, 62% of us globally are either eco-actives or eco-considerers.

But our ambitions don’t always translate into our purchase decisions. 61% of people globally say they don’t shop sustainably because it’s too expensive. 48% say they aren’t informed and 42% of people globally say eco-friendly options are too hard to find. The biggest barrier to purchase (as always) is habit. When given a choice, we tend to seek out solutions that require the least mental effort. So what can we do as brands and retailers?

Let’s start by delving into the latest insight so we can understand where to add the most value.

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Plastic is still not fantastic

Plastic Waste has been top of the list for many brands and retailers for a while now and it is still important to shoppers.

According to Kantar’s latest 'Who Cares? Who Does?' report, 62% of people agree that 'it upsets me how much plastic ends up in my shopping'.

11% of consumers globally say Plastic Waste is their number 1 concern, but it’s worth noting; that number has dropped (from 14% in 2019).

Recyclable packaging is seen by many as the bare minimum nowadays, and 23% of global consumers frequently prioritise 100% recyclable packaging.

The introduction of the UK’s Plastic Packaging Tax on the 1st of April 2022, was intended to give manufacturers and importers a financial incentive to move from single-use plastic to packaging that contains at least 30% recycled material.

Experts are saying that the tax isn’t enough of an incentive to persuade companies to move away from single use plastic, so they are just absorbing the additional cost.

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Avoid the temptation to greenwash

Climate change is now the top sustainability concern among consumers globally, with 19% of us saying it’s our number 1 priority (up from 16% in 2019).

One way many manufacturers have been addressing this concern is by buying credits to offset their carbon emissions in order to claim carbon neutrality.

This practice is facing scrutiny and the certifier ‘carbon Trust’ is removing the carbon neutral label from 886 food and drink products.

We’ve also seen research from The Independent that shows a three times increase in ads banned for greenwashing in the last year. This research claims that the Advertising Standards Authority handled 761 misleading environmental claims cases in the past three years, involving brands like Tesco, Innocent, and Alpro.

The Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) plans to intensify scrutiny, focusing on products like cleaning items and personal care, where numerous items are marketed as 'green'.

Shoppers are getting more and more skeptical of the claims made by brands. 59% of people globally say companies only care about profits and eco claims are just another marketing tool.

This skepticism means that brands that are driving change need to educate people on the benefits to help them make more informed sustainable decisions.

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Waste not want not

One of the big takeaways from the latest Who Cares Who Does webinar from Kantar was a growing interest from consumers in the topic of Food Waste.

Food waste is a top concern for 25% of people, it’s an area where people can easily take action and it helps them save money, which is an added incentive in today’s financial climate.

80% of people say they are being careful to store foods correctly to extend their shelf life, 70% attempting to prepare meals using fridge leftovers, and 64% planning meals in advance to only purchase what they need.

We see this trend at play with Too Good To Go, an app gaining in popularity, where users can connect with shops and restaurants to buy food products and cooked meals at a reduced rate, just before they go to waste.

Food waste is a space where brands and retailers can really help shoppers save money and prevent food waste.

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Which of these areas do you think is most important to your brand? Let us know!

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