Understanding consumers’ attitudes to sustainability

Understanding consumers’ attitudes to sustainability and how these are driving changing consumer behaviour is important. Consumer spending accounts for over a quarter of all UK emissions. In fact, it is the single largest contributor to total UK greenhouse gas emissions.

This is the fifth year Deloitte has conducted a survey into consumer attitudes to sustainability and sustainable behaviours. Our latest research illustrates the opportunity for businesses to facilitate a change in consumer behaviours toward a tipping point at which sustainable options become the preferred choice.

Overall, to improve the chances of the UK meeting its sustainability objectives, there is a need for a greater acceptance by both businesses and consumers of the required systemic change to production and consumption.

Government support to set policy which drives change and helps address cost constraints will be critical in influencing business and consumer change too.

This year three key trends emerged:

•  For many, adopting a more sustainable lifestyle is about being thriftier. Our latest research shows a rise in the proportion of people using the second-hand market and repair services in the past year.
• The data also highlights the ongoing challenges the UK is facing in meeting its sustainability objectives. Adoption of sustainable actions has plateaued – there is a growing number of consumers stating that engaging in sustainable actions is too expensive and increasing scepticism, with more people believing adopting a more sustainable lifestyle makes no difference.
• These findings are sending a clear message to government and industry of the need to drive systemic change to make sustainable actions more accessible and affordable.

The report explores: