UK consumers are less sustainably minded than they were just a year ago, according to a new Global Voices survey from ESW.
Scoring just 46 (out of a possible total of 100) this year versus 50 in 2023, the UK also lags the global mean of 55 on the sustainability index. The report also reveals that some emerging markets are more concerned about sustainability than their counterparts in more economically mature markets. For example, India (75), the United Arab Emirates (74), China (70), and Mexico (67) topped the list, with Japan (32), Germany (46), Switzerland (48), and Canada (48) all coming in with the lowest sustainability scores.
The sustainability index, which scores the percentage of consumer responses of respondents that “agree” or “strongly agree” with 14 of the sustainability sentiments in ESW’s Global Voices study, which polled over 18,000 consumers in 18 markets. These sentiments included: “I am trying to be more sustainable in my day-to-day life”; “I have stopped buying from certain brands and retailers because of their poor environmental record”; and “I try to buy/shop more sustainably, but will not spend more for more eco-friendly products.”
“We were surprised to discover that the degree to which consumers are concerned about sustainability, as well as what they value from the brands they shop with, depends largely upon where they live,” said Martim Avillez Oliveira, chief revenue officer, ESW. “The data suggests that while UK consumers have been encouraged to make environmentally responsible choices for years, perhaps the intensity of that messaging, along with the increasing strain that inflation places on household incomes, may have consumers at a tipping point.”
Sustainability by generation: In general, younger people were more concerned with sustainability than older generations. Global average sustainability scores by generation:
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- Gen Z – 61
- Millennials – 60
- Gen X – 53
- Baby Boomers – 49
Within the UK, Gen Z scores highest compared to other generations yet also declined compared to last year. Gen Z scored 56 on the sustainability index (compared to 63 last year) but still ranks higher this year than Millennials (55), Gen X (41), and Baby Boomers (40).
One-third of global respondents are environmentally attuned shoppers. The survey classifies shoppers who scored 80 or above on the sustainability scale as environmentally attuned.
Globally, more than half of the consumers surveyed (55 per cent) said they are more aware of greenwashing than they were a year ago, and 27 per cent said they considered a brand’s environmental transparency record when making a purchase.
Luxury shoppers are 1.5x more likely to be sustainably attuned shoppers.
Shoppers who value brand authenticity are 50 per cent more likely to be environmentally attuned. Globally, 63 per cent of shoppers said that they value brand authenticity and want brands to be truthful and transparent about company environmental credentials.
Shoppers who value brand names are also more likely to be sustainably minded, with a sustainability score of 62 compared to 47 for non-brand name consumers. A third (32 per cent) of brand name shoppers are likely to be environmentally attuned. Furthermore, brand name shoppers believe that a brand name means higher quality and better value. These shoppers have high expectations – not just of products and services but also of environmental records.
While “sustainability” can be defined by consumers in a variety of ways, the survey found that despite this ambiguity, there are several concrete steps brands can take to attract and retain environmentally attuned shoppers. The report finds that 31 per cent of consumers consider sustainable packaging options when shopping online, while 30 per cent consider sustainable shipping options, and 29 per cent value less packaging overall.
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