Today, the German Society for Consumer Research (GfK) published its second GfK Sustainability Index examining the attitudes of German consumers regarding sustainability. The latest data show that sustainability still remains an important issue for consumers even in the light of inflation, the Covid pandemic as well as the war in Ukraine.
This GfK Sustainability Index examines the importance of sustainability aspects in purchasing decisions for both major purchases and fast-moving consumer goods and measures consumers' willingness to pay for environmentally friendly products. For this survey, GfK interviews a representative group of around 1,000 consumers in Germany every three months. The next GfK Sustainability Index will be issued in November 2022.
These are further insights:
- The largest concerns among consumers are currently inflation (7.5 percent in July 2022) followed by climate change (71 percent).
- While in April 2022, 30 percent of consumers said they made major sustainability-related purchases in the past twelve months, this figure fell to 26 percent in July. Meanwhile, the share of consumers planning to make major purchases with sustainability in mind in the next twelve months increased from 24 to 27 percent.
- Even though overall sales of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) declined by almost three percent in the first half of 2022, sales of organic products remained stable. Still, consumers prefer to buy organic products at lower prices from discounters or trade brands.
- Furthermore, the index shows that consumers’ willingness to pay higher prices for sustainable products remains almost constant at 69 percent. However, inflation and rising prices affect different consumer groups to varying degrees. Around 50 percent of German consumers are considered crisis-resistant, as they have a comparatively high income and do not have to worry about their jobs. Low-income households are more likely to make cutbacks, especially when buying organic products.
Petra Süptitz, GfK sustainability and consumer insights expert, commented: "People are increasingly planning to switch to solar energy and heat pumps to save on energy costs and do something for the environment at the same time. It is also likely that consumers are now more mindful of buying energy-efficient appliances to save electricity. Sustainability is deeply anchored in the values of Germans. Many consumers are currently looking for clever alternative strategies, especially when it comes to everyday products, in order to be able to shop sustainably while saving money. Nevertheless, there are consumer groups such as the Trend Surfers or the Alphas who continue to focus on brand-name products and see sustainability as a lifestyle aspect that they associate with quality, enjoyment and aesthetics. Companies should make sure that their products and services meet these different needs."
Source: GfK
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