Inspired by the visible effects of climate change, consumers all over the world are working to live more sustainably. People are switching to electric vehicles, eating less meat, and cutting down their plastic use.

But how are they approaching sustainability when it comes to retail?

To find out, Bazaarvoice surveyed over 10,000 global members of our Influenster community and we found that shoppers overwhelmingly want brands and retailers to lean in to sustainability.

The vast majority of respondents (85%) said they agree or strongly agree that brands have a responsibility to protect both people and the planet by offering sustainable initiatives.

Consumers Are Trying To 'Shop Green'

Brands and retailers need to offer sustainable options to consumers, because they are actively trying to shop “green.”

Over three quarters (76%) said they agree or strongly agree that they feel more inclined to use products made from recycled and sustainable materials. An additional 78% said it’s somewhat important or very important to them that the brands/products they use are either green, eco-friendly, and/or sustainable, with only 5% saying that it’s unimportant to them.

When shopping, 66% of consumers sometimes pay attention to terms on product packaging such as ‘green’, ‘eco-friendly’, and/or ‘sustainable’, while 28% always do. Only 7% said they never pay attention to those terms. In fact, almost three quarters (74%) said they’re willing to pay more for eco-friendly/sustainable/green products.

But, keep in mind that while sustainability is becoming increasingly important to shoppers, quality and price are still considered. Two in three (66%) said they would not still buy ‘eco-friendly/sustainable/green’ products if their performance wasn't as good as other products, and another 22% said the price is more important than its impact on the environment.

In an effort to go green, 70% said they agree or strongly agree that they’ve been trying to buy more from sustainable and eco-friendly brands. Even more (78%) said they agree or strongly agree that they’ve been trying to bring their own bags when they go shopping now to avoid using plastic bags from the store. The vast majority (81%) said they agree or strongly agree that they are trying to find more alternative options for ‘single-use disposable products’ (straws, plastic bottles, boxes).

If you haven’t already prioritized sustainability for your retail brand’s strategy, you should start now. Consumers are already modifying lifestyles to make them more sustainable, and they want brands and retailers to offer products and initiatives to help them do so. It will be both good for the planet and your business.

About the Author
 
As Senior Vice President, Marketing, Suzin Wold leads the global demand generation, product marketing, PR/communications, website, and creative teams at Bazaarvoice.

Photo on left by Artem Beliaikin from Pexels; the author, Susan Wold, on right