Nearly half of Gen Z and millennials are turning their backs on their favourite brands for ones that are climate-transparent.
Strong Roots surveyed a thousand consumers in the US, UK, and Ireland and assessed attitudes towards climate labels and consumer sentiment towards carbon footprint whilst shopping.
The study has found that nearly half (46%) of Zoomers and Millennials are opting for brands dedicated to climate commitments over their favourite ones.
“Consumers are advocating for stricter regulations compelling brands to enhance transparency regarding their climate emissions with 61% supporting the idea of increased regulation for climate labeling”
This is in comparison to 27% of older shoppers (45+) who would purchase a product with a climate label instead of their favourite brand.
This shift marks a change in generational shopping habits with Gen Z and millennials prioritising a brand’s climate impact and carbon emissions.
Climate-based shopping
The Strong Roots study assessed attitudes towards climate labels and consumer sentiment towards carbon footprint whilst shopping.
It found that consumers are increasingly willing to pay more for sustainable products with 44% of GenZ willing to pay more for climate-conscious products compared to only 23% of older shoppers.
Climate is top of mind for consumers of all ages with more than half (52%) of respondents more likely to purchase a product if the producer had transparent climate footprint information.
An overwhelming eight of ten shoppers (82%) stated they want to be informed about companies that are major contributors to the climate crisis.
Half of all shoppers (50%) are more inclined to purchase food products from their home country as they consider the climate impact of their food shopping.
Additional survey data shows consumer sentiment towards the importance of climate labels in the future:
- Increased Regulation: Consumers are advocating for stricter regulations compelling brands to enhance transparency regarding their climate emissions with 61% supporting the idea of increased regulation for climate labeling.
- Education is key: Education on the meaning behind climate labels is essential to informing consumers on the impact of their shopping. Nearly 60% believe there isn’t enough knowledge and education about climate labeling and the impact this has on climate change
- Consumer Knowledge: 41% of respondents would like to start purchasing products that have a positive climate impact but don’t know how to.
Strong Roots is a global plant-based food brand led by Irish entrepreneur Samuel Dennigan. The Irish-led business landed a $55m investment from global food giant McCain Food for a minority stake in the business in 2021. In April 2024 it emerged that McCain Food acquired the entirety of the business for an undisclosed sum.
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