A substantial proportion of U.S. consumers have become more focused on sustainability in their shopping journey due to Covid-19, according to a new survey by Coresight Research. For the survey, which was conducted August 26, Coresight asked consumers about their attitudes toward environmental sustainability in retail, including any impacts of the COVID-19 crisis. They found that 29 percent of respondents said the pandemic has made environmental sustainability more of a factor when shopping. This compares to 16 percent that stated that the crisis made sustainability less of a factor.

Among those who said the crisis has made sustainability more of a factor, the number-one reason cited was that consumers have reflected on what is most important amid the pandemic, followed by the lockdown showing the immediate impact of changed behaviors on the planet, Coresight said. Among those who said the crisis has made sustainability less of a factor, the main reason is that other things have taken priority, such as avoiding the virus and saving money.

Despite a meaningful proportion of consumers valuing sustainability more because of the crisis, the highest response in terms of the impact of COVID-19 on sustainability in purchasing decisions was nevertheless “no change.”
Coresight also asked consumers what they consider to be the most important sustainability issues for retailers. Reducing plastics took the lead. Packaging is a huge concern for consumers in terms of sustainability. Making packaging biodegradable, recyclable or reusable was ranked the second-most important sustainability action for retailers, followed by reducing packaging.

Coresight noted that in general, consumers seem more concerned with the issue of product and packaging disposal for the end-products they can see than the supply chain impacts that they don’t see, such as the use of chemicals, use of water and carbon emissions. Consumers could pick up to three options or “no preference,” potentially depressing the total percentages.

CoreSight Research’s full report is available to premium subscribers and includes further findings.