The British Retail Consortium has today revealed that retail sales fell for
the first time in 25 years last
year, with sales in November and
December being particularly weak – falling 0.9 percent. The retail downturn has
been blamed on consumer confidence, shaken by a no-deal
Brexit
and political instability. It is also felt that consumers were both more
cautious and conscientious when it came to their holiday shopping. New research
by brand purpose consultancy Given
London reveals that a new conscientiousness may
be a central cause, with consumers buying less due to sustainability concerns.
Commissioned with YouGov, the findings revealed that when it came to
shopping for holiday gifts, 42 percent of us did so more sustainably in 2019. Of
2,004 consumers surveyed, 44 percent agreed that they were influenced by
sustainability concerns in the way they shopped at Christmas. Significantly, for
51 percent of those, this meant buying fewer presents than in 2018.
Waste also remains a huge issue for consumers — and one where they believe
brands should be doing more. 2 in 3 (65 percent) of those who shopped for
Christmas gifts this year felt companies should be helping them minimize their
waste — for example, by reducing the amount of packaging used in their products.
Whilst there’s still room for growth, the findings are encouraging news that
environmental and sustainability messages are not only reaching consumers, but
are galvanizing them to take real action in the way they shop. Now, it’s on
brands to respond.
Holiday 2019 — sustainable shopping meant buying less
The research assessed how consumers translated their concerns around
sustainability and the environment into action over the holidays:
Becky Willan, Managing Director
of Given London, said; “It’s perhaps unsurprising that sustainability concerns
may have partly driven a slowdown in retail sales over the Christmas period. For
retailers, it’s important that they discover the role sustainability can play in
fueling business growth, rather than in simply slowing it down. This can be
achieved through developing alternatives for consumers through sustainable
innovation, and new business models that reflect a changing agenda. Our research
is showing this is no longer a ‘nice to have’ for retailers.”
44 percent influenced by sustainability concerns, but more needs to be done to engage a broad audience
Altogether, the research revealed that a total of 44 percent of consumers agreed
that sustainability concerns had influenced the way they had shopped for holiday
gifts.
Some consumer groups were more likely to care about sustainability than others.
Of the women surveyed, 50 percent agreed their holiday shopping approach had
been impacted by sustainability concerns, compared to 37 percent of men.
Millennials
(25- to 34-year-olds) also cared more; with 54 percent agreeing a desire to shop
more sustainably had influenced them, compared with 39 percent of those over 55.
“Whilst it’s encouraging that just under half of consumers are taking action on
issues of social responsibility and sustainability, work needs to be done to
reach a broader audience,” Willan said. “Our research shows us that we need to
make sustainability more accessible to older and lower-income groups, in
particular.
“Sustainability cannot be an idea that you have to buy into or that feels
exclusive in any way. To create meaningful change, and scalable models for
business, sustainability has to be democratized.”
2 in 3 holiday shoppers wanted less packaging
When asked how brands could help them shop more sustainably, most consumers
cited minimizing waste as an area for change. 2 in 3 (65 percent) holiday
shoppers wanted companies to minimize
waste
— for example, by reducing the amount of packaging they used.
“The packaging problem isn’t a straightforward one,” Willan
acknowledged. “It’s particularly challenging for online brands, as consumers
have far less control on how their goods are packaged. Consumers understandably
want less packaging, but [it] plays a crucial role; for example, in protecting
goods against damage or obscuring private purchases. Given this, brands as a
whole need to work to both eliminate obvious surplus, but also to educate
consumers on packaging’s necessary benefits.”
Other popular actions companies should take to encourage sustainable shopping
include:
-
Reducing the cost of sustainable products — 49 percent.
-
Offer a greater choice of sustainable products — 47 percent.
-
Make sustainable products more attractive and interesting — 31 percent.
-
Give me guidance on how to shop more sustainably (eg: through leaflets,
information on website etc.) — 20 percent.
Get the latest insights, trends, and innovations to help position yourself at the forefront of sustainable business leadership—delivered straight to your inbox.
Sustainable Brands Staff
Published Jan 9, 2020 10am EST / 7am PST / 3pm GMT / 4pm CET