Capgemini Press Release // 79% of consumers are changing their purchase preferences based on social responsibility, inclusiveness, or environmental impact

Good morning,

Please find below the press release issued today.

Best regards,

Michele Moore Duhen
Global PR Manager | Group Marketing & Communications

Capgemini Group | London
Tel.: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
_____________________________

79% of consumers are changing their purchase preferences based on social responsibility, inclusiveness, or environmental impact

Capgemini research highlights a strong connection between sustainability and core-business benefits including increased customer loyalty and brand revenue

Paris, July 8, 2020 – A new report from the Capgemini Research Institute examines the impact sustainability has on consumer purchasing patterns and how well consumer product and retail (CPR) organizations understand consumer expectations. The report, “Consumer Products and Retail: How sustainability is fundamentally changing consumer preferences”, finds that sustainability has risen up the customer’s agenda: 79% of consumers are changing their purchase preferences based on social responsibility, inclusiveness, or environmental impact. Moreover, COVID-19 has increased consumer awareness and commitment to buying sustainably: 67% of consumers said that they will be more cautious about the scarcity of natural resources due to the COVID-19 crisis, and 65% said that they will be more mindful about the impact of their overall consumption in the “new normal”.

Sustainability concerns are now influencing consumer behavior among more than half the population: 53% of consumers overall and 57% in the 18-24 age group have switched to lesser known brands because they were sustainable. More than half of consumers (52%) say that they share an emotional connection with products or organizations that they perceive as sustainable. 64% say that buying sustainable products makes them feel happy about their purchases (this reaches 72% in the 25-35 age group).

CPR organizations also understand the benefits sustainability has on their relationships with customers: 77% indicate sustainability leads to increases in customer loyalty, while 63% say it increases brand revenue. 

Both consumers and enterprises have a lot more to learn about sustainability
Despite intentions to be sustainable, there is a gap between what consumers think they know, and what they actually know, about sustainability: 78% of consumers are not aware that it takes 1,000 liters of water to produce a chocolate bar and 68% are not aware that an average burger results in more emissions than driving 15km in a large car. Nearly 68% of consumers who purchased these products were willing to purchase a more sustainable product once they were made aware of the sustainability issues. This highlights the need for more sustainability-related information to be available for consumers and reinforces the importance of brands driving the sustainability agenda.