Concern for climate change

Global warming/climate change is still high on the list of environmental issues, cited by 78% of respondents, ahead of accessibility of food (71%) and food waste (77%). Moreover, 65% believe that governments should prioritise addressing climate change in the post-pandemic economic recovery – rising significantly higher in emerging markets, notably India (81%) and China (80%).

Even more (68%) believe that if businesses in their country do not act now to combat climate change, they will be failing their employees and customers. And still more feel the burden of responsibility themselves, with 72% agreeing that “individuals like me” need to act now, or they will be failing future generations. Again, figures are generally higher in emerging markets.

Opportunity – Responsible consumption

Consumers increasingly look for brands to be transparent and provide them with the information they need to enable informed, responsible choices. Over a third of consumers say they are choosing brands based on their sustainability credentials more now than they did before the pandemic.

In our Demand Spaces study, the number of occasions on which consumers have a drink to satisfy a need related to responsible consumption has risen 45% since the start of the pandemic. Relevant emotional benefits are dominated by “making the right choice for the planet”, while functional benefits are topped by “healthy for me/my family”. The ideal package would be made of natural paper – environmentally sound and recyclable – with clear information on ingredients and their origin.