Even in the Corona crisis, organic, climate and the environment are in the foreground for many people, according to a new study. The surveys of consumers clearly showed that the term sustainability in shopping – especially in the pandemic – is very popular. And this is also reflected in the retail trade: the range of environmentally friendly products continues to grow.
The offers in the supermarkets have been changing for some time: Fairly produced and regional products have a permanent place on the shelf. Organic and animal welfare labels are on more and more products. Recycling is more important and many customers pack loose fruit and vegetables in paper bags or reusable bags. All of this shows that many consumers value more sustainability – and retailers are reacting to this. But does Corona change something in the sustainable attitude of customers?
Think regionally in the pandemic
A research team led by Bastian Popp from Saarland University got to the bottom of this question. In their study, they asked over 500 participants of all age groups and social strata about the effects the Corona crisis has on their consumption on site and when shopping online. The result: Even in the pandemic, interest in more sustainable consumption remains high. “For around 77 percent of those surveyed, it is important that the products used do not harm the environment,” says Popp. “The majority – 64 percent – consider the possible environmental impact of their actions when buying.” Almost 55 percent of the study participants would accept certain inconveniences in order to encourage more environmentally friendly measures. “And almost 67 percent of those questioned say they will prefer more sustainable products when buying in the future, even if they have to pay more for them,” adds the retail expert.
The current positive development is surprising: “Our study shows that sustainability has a decisive influence on consumer decisions even in the current crisis situation. Customers are even more interested in this topic and at the same time attach greater importance to it, ”summarizes Popp. It is noteworthy, for example, that Covid-19 stimulates consumer interest in regional products. “Compared to the times before Corona, more customers are interested in the origin of the products – after all, almost half of all respondents,” the researchers note. And most of them would dig deeper into their pockets for this, too: “Around 44 percent also stated that the corona pandemic has made them willing to pay more for regional products,” says Popp.
Actively become sustainable
And how do the respondents’ wishes show in reality? Although interest in changing purchasing behavior is increasing – also boosted by the pandemic – the results of the Saarbrücken scientists show that the corona pandemic only leads to more sustainable consumer behavior to a limited extent. “Only around 34 percent of those questioned are currently gathering more information than before about the environmental impact of products and are consequently not buying anything,” says Popp’s colleague Patrick Klein. It is also noticeable, however, that many consumers now see a need for improvement in terms of sustainability in their supermarkets and online shops. “Only 19 percent of those surveyed perceive retail as sustainable”, according to the results of the study. Many of the participants would like to save CO2 and packaging materials. However, companies often do not communicate enough about existing sustainability activities, say the experts.
However, it also became apparent that most people have a positive attitude towards the measures taken to protect against Covid-19: They mostly perceive these as ecologically sustainable. “Consumers rate the distance regulations as the most sustainable in terms of the environment, followed by the limitation of the number of people in shops,” says Klein. “While they rate the use of disinfectants and the use of masks as positive for ecological sustainability, they view disposable gloves as more critical.” “All in all, consumers assume a positive corona effect on the environment in the long term, for example by reducing the Emissions and air traffic comes about. The increase in the amount of waste cannot spoil this assessment, ”summarizes Klein. Popp adds as a conclusion: “Sustainability is not only extremely relevant for retail, it is even gaining in importance due to the Covid-19 pandemic.” However, it is still uncertain which of the respondents’ wishes will actually be implemented in the future .
Source: Saarland University; Study summary (PDF)