In recent years, consumers have shown an eagerness to purchase from brands that are actively doing their part to be more sustainable. They’re looking for brands that lead with their values, and evidence of this mindset shift is mounting.

The 2022 Higher Impact report, which features new research commissioned by Amazon Ads with Environics Research, surveyed 5,000 global consumers about their values and their expectations from brands. According to the study, 78% of consumers said brands should do more to encourage people to be increasingly conscious consumers. Furthermore, 60% of the consumers in the survey said sustainability has become more important to them over the past three years.

For brands, as more consumers show a desire to buy more-sustainable products, it’s critical to lead with their values and authentically communicate their sustainability initiatives. In doing so, brands can be more customer-centric to support customers in their journey to becoming more-sustainable in their shopping and lifestyles.

“Customers are telling us that brand values matter to them, with sustainability as a focus,” said Cameron Westfall, head of Climate Pledge Friendly at Amazon, which highlights products with certifications in at least one aspect of sustainability. “It’s critical for brands to share their sustainability commitments and efforts in their brand messaging as well. Reinforcing commitments to sustainability and reaching audiences to help educate consumers about these efforts will help them in their journeys to making more sustainable decisions.”

Shoppers want brands to be more sustainable and are doing their research

As consumers continue to learn about how to become more sustainable in their lives, they’re also looking for brands to be more transparent about their efforts to improve sustainability. It’s important for brands to authentically communicate their sustainability efforts, showcasing how they intend to achieve these goals and initiatives with actions. If brands miss the mark on educating customers on these efforts, it can negatively influence brand perception — 73% of the 2022 Higher Impact respondents said they are tired of brands that act as if they’re exempt from environmental responsibility. These sentiments may also influence how consumers spend their money — nearly half (45%) of global consumer respondents said sustainability ranks high in importance regarding the products they buy and the brands they ultimately support.

Environmentally conscious shoppers are also proactive. In their efforts to make more mindful purchases, 72% of consumers in the study said they’re likely to conduct their own research for sustainable options. The top three trustworthy sources of sustainability information ranked by consumers are third-party certifications (33%), search engines that help them research the topic (32%), and information from sustainability experts and advocates (28%).

“At Amazon, we leverage over 40 trustworthy sustainability certifications to highlight products as Climate Pledge Friendly, helping customers understand when products represent the sustainability values they’re seeking,” said Westfall. “Brands can seek out these certifications and adjust aspects of their product life cycle to …read more

Source:: Digiday

Author: Aaron