Go green and make money, says survey

By Éilis Cronin in Industry News 26th July 2021

One in five UK consumers (21%) have stopped buying a particular brand or product because of concerns over its environmental impact, with those concerns most notable in the weekly grocery shop, according to a new study.

More than a third (36%) of shoppers say they have stopped buying from a food and drink brand due to its lack of eco-credentials, and 33% have done so for household essentials.

The study also noted that 65% thought a brand’s sustainability was important when buying household essentials and 62% said so for food and drink.

Overall, a fifth of respondents (22%) said they regularly choose eco-friendly products over less sustainable equivalents, while 48% said they do so sometimes.

In addition, around a third of consumers say they plan to spend more on eco-friendly products in FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) this year (32% for food and drink and 31% for household essentials), compared to the previous 12 months.

The findings come from a survey of 2,000 UK adults by media agency Hearts & Science through YouGov, commissioned for the agency’s latest Forces of Change report, a study into the growth of conscious consumerism.

Simon Carr, chief strategy officer at Hearts & Science, said: “UK shoppers are already voting with their wallets when it comes to eco-friendly groceries.

“It is not just that they will choose products and brands that have the best green credentials, they will actively stop buying those that do not.

“FMCG brands need to be smarter in how they demonstrate their concern for the environment and can no longer get away with paying lip service.

“Savvy consumers want to see evidence that their shopping habits are not hurting the world around them, or they will go elsewhere.”

The study also found that people are making an effort to be more eco-friendly in how they shop: more than half (55%) use their local high street to avoid transport emissions, and around one in ten (9%) now shop at zero-waste/refill stores.

Garrett O’Reilly, managing director of Hearts & Science, concludes: “There is now a groundswell of support towards sustainability among consumers.

“If grocery brands fail to address this, they are failing their customers and society more generally, especially as the research shows that products in the FMCG category are at the forefront of the drive towards sustainable shopping.

“This gives the grocery sector a clear opportunity to capitalise on the green demand and encourage consumers to make smarter choices.

“It is not idealistic to be green: it makes good business sense.”