Whilst most consumers care about sustainability, they are often unable or unwilling to pay more for ‘greener’ alternatives.
This is according to a poll carried out by Asda prior to the ongoing COP26 conference in Glasgow. It aimed to shed light on what lifestyle changes consumers were prepared to make to reduce their carbon footprint and ultimately help the UK reach its net-zero carbon target by 2050.
Although more than half (55%) of those questioned said they would be prepared to make significant lifestyle changes to reduce their carbon footprint, price remained the single biggest obstacle preventing them from adding sustainable alternatives to their food shopping basket.
When asked what would help them shop more sustainably 76% of consumers suggested lower prices, 56% said greater choice, while 45% said logos telling them what is sustainable would be useful. To underline the importance of making sustainable options affordable, 50% of consumers said they would not be prepared to pay a premium for greener everyday items such as milk and bread.
The findings suggest that greater collaboration is needed between manufacturers and retailers to remove the price barrier preventing shoppers from purchasing sustainable products. The supermarket group highlighted that its ‘Greener at Asda Price Promise’ aims to address concerns around cost. Introduced last October, it means loose, compact, concentrated, or unwrapped alternatives are the same price or less, than packed alternatives.
Asda has been expanding its range of greener choices and recently opened two more refill stores in York and Glasgow stocking a range of over 70 branded and own-label products in loose format for shoppers to buy using their own containers.
The retailer is planning to launch more greener products next year and give them prominent positions in its store and website to encourage shopper participation.
“Our research shows that consumers from all backgrounds care about sustainability but many cannot afford to buy greener products when they shop,” Susan Thomas, Senior Director of Commercial Sustainability at Asda.
“We believe that nobody should be price out of making sustainable choices and our Greener at Asda Price promise aims to remove price as a barrier to purchase. The onus is on supermarkets, retailers and the industry as a whole to work collaboratively to make greener products more affordable. Consumers can also play their part too by embracing greener choices as investment will increase in line with shopper demand.”
