Consumers seek sustainable products, but may not be willing to pay the price

AMC Global’s ongoing research shows many consumers want sustainable products but price remains the top consideration when making a purchase decision

AMC Global and OpinionRoute (a leader in insights process management) conducted the latest wave of their ongoing consumer behavior study to discover preferences and perceptions regarding product sustainability. Results revealed that while many want sustainably produced and sourced products, price remains the top consideration when making purchasing decisions. Consumers believe that these products are more expensive than their mainstream counterparts, and recent inflation and price increases are making affordability a key concern. A high percentage of respondents say that it is hard to tell which brands are sustainable and which are not, and many look to trusted retailers and product packaging to help guide them.

A complete representation of the “Importance of Sustainability” can be found here, or click the callout graphic below.

Key findings from the latest study:

• Seventy-two percent of respondents indicate that they believe brands that provide sustainable products are more expensive than brands that are less sustainable.
  
  
• While 43% of people believe that it is worth it to pay more for sustainable products, 66% say they can’t afford to do so due to recent price increases across the board.
  
  
• Sixty percent of people say it is hard to tell whether or not a product is sustainable, but many (47%)  trust the stores they shop at to provide sustainable options and 40% look to the product’s packaging to inform them.
  
  
• An even split exists between those who will buy sustainable brands whenever possible (45%) and those who will always choose the least expensive option (45%). 

A complete representation of the “Importance of Sustainability” can be found here. Data was collected earlier this week from n=1,000 U.S. general population consumers over age 21. 

New results and findings will be released in Q3 of 2022. The study findings are designed to help clients and industry leaders navigate quickly changing consumer behavior.

Want to learn more about consumer perceptions regarding your brand's or product's sustainability efforts? Reach out to us!