United States: consumer views on corporate sustainability communications 2023

According to a survey conducted in late 2023, approximately four in five consumers in the United States agreed that companies need to be more specific when labeling their sustainability initiatives and that the typically used umbrella term "sustainability" is insufficient. This was by far the leading issue U.S. consumers had regarding corporate sustainability communications.

Consumers and sustainability premiums

How much money consumers around the world are willing to dish out for sustainable goods has evolved somewhat over the last few years. The number of people who had paid a premium of one to five percent for a more sustainable product was about 10 percent higher in late 2023 than it was back in 2020. However, the number of people who spent an additional five percent or more for goods that were manufactured sustainably dropped slightly within that timeframe. Price has always been an important factor among shoppers, and they may not always be willing or able to meet these higher price points.

What motivates consumers to shop more sustainably?

Unsurprisingly, price is a big reason why it can be difficult to shop more sustainably. That said, it is not the only issue. As mentioned by surveyed apparel shoppers in Europe, sustainable goods can also be challenging to find, or it can even be unclear what eco-friendly aspects are fulfilled by brands. In the United Kingdom, individuals were asked what would help them adopt more sustainable habits, and the two leading answers included making the ethical option the more affordable option, and the implementation of better plastics and packaging removal schemes.