Importance of Sustainability to Consumers Examined

Wednesday, January 29, 2020 - 15:52 by Graham Miller

A report from Conversity has shown that half of the under-34s have a preference for making purchases via safe shopping online or on the high street with retailers that have actively attempted to make their operations more eco-friendly.

This shows that younger shoppers are not only interested in getting good value for money but also in buying from brands that are sustainable at their core, moving away from the era of so-called ‘fast fashion’ that was described as so problematic by many environmental campaigners.

There is a slightly higher propensity for sustainable shopping amongst Gen-Z respondents than those in the Millennial age group. The study also revealed that 48 per cent of people over the age of 55 were also interested in sustainability, meaning that the generational gap on this issue is fairly small.

Report spokesperson Sarah Cameron said that consumers are clearly choosing to rethink their shopping habits in the wake of growing concerns about the climate crisis which are building momentum worldwide at the moment.

She pointed to the impact of influencers on social media in channelling more consumers towards a sustainable shopping mantra, eschewing the often damaging practices of the past.

Cameron said that the current rise in demand for sustainable shopping experiences and products was equivalent to the make do and mend attitude that pervaded in the wake of the Second World War. While consumers today have far more choice than people during times of crisis in the past, it is precisely because there is this level of variety that some of the issues with retail’s eco-impact are arising.

Almost a fifth of those questioned said that they also wanted to see retailers take steps to align their online and in-store experiences more closely to ensure that it was easier to get all the information about products to make an informed decision.