Businesses must do more to help consumers live sustainably - survey

Companies need to do more to help customers become eco-friendly, a new survey has found. But at the same time consumers are cynical about “greenwashing”, the survey found.

The research, from Accenture, found 75 per cent of consumers thought it was hard to live sustainably despite taking measures such as buying less and cutting down on single-use plastic.

More than 90 per cent felt companies should do more to help, with more than half saying organisations should make an effort to cut down on waste. Just under 30 per cent said companies should cut their carbon footprint and a fifth want to see a commitment to ethical work practices.

Cheaper sustainable options, loyalty schemes and ways to make the sustainable option more convenient are among the other incentives suggested by consumers.

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Almost two-thirds of people surveyed questioned whether the sustainability information being provided by brands is legitimate. “It’s pretty shocking to think that two-thirds of consumers are actually reading things and they’re just dismissing it because they think it’s a marketing ploy of the organisation,” said Karen O’Regan, managing director and head of strategy at Accenture in Ireland.

Regulators are starting to step in. In the UK the Advertising Standards Authority has started a crackdown on potentially misleading environmental claims, while the securities regulator in the US plans to clamp down on exaggerated claims about the responsible credentials of investment products.

Tesco was recently rebuked by the UK advertising body after it failed to show that its Plant Chef burgers and plant protein-based foods were more environmentally friendly than their meat equivalents.

Those who fail to measure up are at risk of losing loyal customers, with 40 per cent saying they had actively stopped buying a brand they considered not eco-friendly. In contrast, 70 per cent said they were more likely to buy from a brand that was marketed as eco-friendly.

“What was heartening for me is that consumer sentiment is continually shifting to show that consumers are listening and hearing all that we’re telling them about sustainability, climate crisis and the need for change, and that’s landing with Irish consumers as well,” said Ms O’Regan.

While the majority of people are happy to do their part, one in five said they didn’t feel the need to live more sustainably. Almost a quarter viewed sustainable products as less effective than their non-sustainable counterparts, while 16 per cent said it was too much hassle.

Cost may be an ongoing issue, with 52 per cent believing sustainable living is too expensive, although a quarter said they would pay more for companies that paid workers in its supply chain a living wage, and more than a fifth said they would accept a higher cost if brands were truly committed to cutting carbon footprint.

Access to reliable information is also holding people back, with 61 per cent saying they didn’t have enough information on how to help the environment, and some were unsure where to get reliable information. More than half – 52 per cent – search online, while 21 per cent turn to social media and influencers – the same percentage that turn to mainstream media.