Report: Consumer Expectations for Sustainability in Retail

Key Takeaways

• Consumers are most concerned about manufacturing’s impact on climate change: Consumers are broadly concerned about climate change and sustainability, but shoppers have trouble naming specific actions they can take to be more sustainable. Product manufacturing is shoppers’ leading retail-centric sustainability concern, while individual behaviors and online shopping are a lower priority.
• Shoppers don’t think their behaviors harm the environment: Fewer than 1 in 4 shoppers think their own shopping behaviors have a major impact on climate change. Those shoppers who do see themselves having a major impact are much more likely to shop from brands that share their environmental values. People also tend to engage in behaviors that have environmental benefits, but that doesn’t mean sustainability is their primary intent.
• Resale and sustainability go hand in hand: Even as more brands enter the resale market, there’s substantial growth potential to bring more shoppers in based on the value brands can offer. Consumers who have shopped secondhand in the past are significantly likely to do so again in the future, meaning retailers entering this market should have dependable repeat customers.