Research reveals preference for climate friendly products among East Midlands shoppers
Two in three (65%) East Midlands shoppers prefer to buy products that have a more positive environmental impact, but 72% are unsure how to identify them, according to a new study from Amazon.
According to a recent Amazon-commissioned study of 2,000 British shoppers, almost two in three (65%) shoppers in the East Midlands prefer to buy products that have a more positive environmental and social impact, although 72% say there are many confusing sustainability statements on product labels.
In fact, shoppers surveyed in the East Midlands find building flat-pack furniture (44%), completing a giant crossword puzzle (35%), learning to use a new software package for their computer (28%) and cooking an elaborate dinner party from scratch (26%) easier than figuring out which everyday products have a lower environmental impact when shopping online.
As a result, only 7% of respondents in the East Midlands say they always understand a product’s environmental impact when they shop. More than half (63%) want retailers to help them easily identify products which have a more positive environmental and social impact. This ranges from everyday items like socks and sugar, to personal care products like soap and sunscreen.
Amazon makes it easier for customers to discover and shop for products with improvements in at least one aspect of sustainability.
Its Climate Pledge Friendly badge helps shoppers to discover and filter products based on clear sustainability features – from products containing recycled materials and designed with less packaging, to items made from organic content and safer chemicals. These features are based on vetted and reputable third-party certifications, such as Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade International and Forest Stewardship Council.
Certifications matter to East Midlands shoppers, with more than three in four 78% saying they are more likely to trust a product’s sustainability claims if it is supported by an official certification from a reputable organisation. 34% also claim to have abandoned a purchase when they did not trust or understand its sustainability claims.
Almost one in three (29%) surveyed claim they are more likely to try a new brand or product if their social, ethical and environmental credentials are clear on the product itself, or at the point of sale online, giving them reassurance these brands align with their principles.
“Products with certified sustainability features are a top choice for UK shoppers, and it’s important that customers can easily understand exactly what those features are. At Amazon, we’re taking the guesswork out of the shopping experience, helping customers to shop for items that match their values,” said John Boumphrey, Amazon UK Country Manager.
Among the most sought-after sustainability features that East Midlands shoppers look for are recyclable packaging (46%), kindness to animals (44%), items made with recycled materials (35%), reduced packaging (33%), and products made with chemicals safe for human health and the environment (33%), while 29% seek products that are made with responsible farming and forestry methods.
The top five product categories that respondents expect to find more sustainable options for include cleaning products (48%), food and beverage items (42%), cosmetics and beauty (33%), apparel (31%) and electronics/appliances (21%).
Nearly 37.6 million Amazon customers have switched to Climate Pledge Friendly badged products in 2023, leading to over 1.16 billion items sold, a 42% increase from 2022 – sending a strong signal to Amazon’s selling partners that customers want to shop for products with sustainability features. As of today, Amazon’s Climate Pledge Friendly product selection has grown to more than 1.4 million items globally – a 157% increase from 2022.
“Amazon’s Climate Pledge Friendly certifications help us to communicate our brand commitment to more-sustainable processes and products. The qualification process is reassuringly thorough which means when customers see the Climate Pledge Friendly badge, they can be confident they are purchasing a product that goes some way to help preserve the natural world we live in,” said Tom Lloyd, Co-Founder and Commercial Director at Bloomsbury Mill, an award-winning children's and baby brand in the UK, with several popular Climate Pledge Friendly products on the Amazon UK store.