UK consumers want better info around sustainable purchases

Consumers in the United Kingdom want greater transparency and product information around sustainable purchases. Almost two thirds of young consumers would even reconsider their purchasing decision if retailers better communicated the impact they have on the environment.

Sustainability is a very important element in today’s purchase decision process. More and more consumers want to know the impact of retailers and their products on the environment. Recently, fashion giant Zara for example made the promise to sell only sustainable clothing by 2025.

Shoppers would reconsider if retail better communicated impact

Research from InRiver shows that 62 percent of young consumers in the United Kingdom say they would reconsider buying if retailers better communicated about the environmental impact. And 63 percent also said they would stop using a brand if it was damaging to the environment.

If not for the environment, online retailers should give more and better product information about the sustainability and environmental impact, because this would make 69 percent of UK consumers more likely to purchase. On the other hand, 66 percent of people who would shop abroad if a foreign shop offered lower prices, would reconsider buying from them if these retailers shared more data about the environmental impact of delivery.

If retailers would be more transparent, this would also encourage six out of ten shoppers to reconsider the number of orders they return. Currently, serial returners cost the UK retail industry an estimated 22 billion euros per year.

Sustainable packaging more important than ethical production

The study suggests that 20 percent of consumers only buy sustainable products. When committing to a purchase, the key factors considered are: sustainable packaging (6 percent), materials (6 percent), ethical production (5 percent) and carbon footprint of delivery (4 percent). But still, price (41 percent) and quality (25 percent) are the most important purchase drivers for consumers.

How to judge if product is sustainable

To judge whether or not a product is sustainable, most consumers look at packaging materials (47 percent), followed by product information (44 percent). Other popular giveaways are a retailer’s marketing and advertising (25 percent) and influencers (17 percent).