U.K. consumers expect brands to adopt sustainable practices
Seventy-five percent of the public agree that if we don’t change the way we live in the next 10 years, the state of the planet will put the survival of future generations in jeopardy.1
Climate change is now the second most concerning issue in the U.K. after the NHS.2
Sustainability is a national concern — with more interest coming from smaller cities across the U.K., with the likes of Brighton, Cambridge, and Exeter leading the way.3
Numbers represent the percentage of searches for sustainability topics in each location.
Interest in sustainability topics varies from one city to the next in the U.K.4
Numbers represent the percentage of searches for “sustainable diets” in each location over the past year.
Interest in sustainability topics varies from one city to the next in the U.K.
Numbers represent the percentage of searches for “recycling and plastics” in each location over the past year.
The growth of user searches in the last 12 months shows that U.K. consumers have become increasingly more interested in sustainability issues.5
And Google Search queries show they aren’t just learning about sustainability. They want to take action.6
Consumer attitudes and behaviour are increasingly moving toward sustainable lifestyles — a trend that accelerated in 2020.
That means consumers expect brands to do good too — especially in response to the pandemic.
of people in the U.K. say that it has become more important for companies to behave more sustainably because of the impact of COVID-19.11
That means consumers expect brands to do good too — especially in response to the pandemic.
Line represents percentage of search volume.
Sixty-two percent of shoppers say they cared about at least one sustainability aspect when purchasing online in 2020.12
Having a purpose that goes beyond making a profit is an opportunity to drive meaningful connection with consumers.
Doing good is good for business.
average five-year compound annual growth rate for companies that have used brand purpose strategically.14
If brands aren’t authentic, honest, and transparent in their sustainability efforts, they could be considered disingenuous or guilty of “greenwashing”.
We are the first generation to know that we are destroying the world, and the last that can do anything about it. This is a wake-up call for the world and business leaders
alike.
Tanya Steele, CEO, WWF–U.K.
Tools and resources to help you take action
Stay on top of what’s important to consumers with Rising Retail Categories and Google Trends, among other useful tools in our digital marketing toolbox.
Creating video campaigns? Use our YouTube Video Builder and TrueView for Reach to show audiences your commitment to sustainability.
Visit our Grocery Sustainability Playbook page for more information and best practices.
Senior Industry Manager, Grocery
Copy & Design: The 8Agency; Story: Robert Rushing; Product Lead: Casey Fictum; Production Lead: Brooke Persich.
The Google Cloud team contributed research to this story.