Consumers in the UK are experiencing a lack of motivation to adopt sustainable lifestyles due to cost and sustainability fatigue.
Customers are becoming weary of making sustainable decisions, according to a new Deloitte’s Sustainable Consumer Report. The fifth edition of the report indicates that there is evidence of increasing sustainability fatigue among consumers in 2024 with regard to making sustainable choices.
According to the report, 61% respondents said they are uninterested in sustainability and the 47% thought changing to a more sustainable lifestyle has no impact.
Key findings:
However, the Deloitte report said that 41% of consumers still have concerns about climate change. Fifty six percent of those aged 18 to 34 have such concerns.
Most consumers (59%) said they are more dedicated to cutting back on waste or using less energy (51%). Nearly half (45%) of customers expect companies to provide sustainable goods and services.
Deloitte which surveyed more than 2,000 UK consumers, a greater percentage of respondents than the previous year expressed disinterest in sustainability (61% in 2024, up from 58% in 2023) and thought that leading a more sustainable lifestyle had no impact (47% in 2024, up from 45% in 2023).
According to the study, consumers are limiting their use of single-use plastic (61%, down from 64%), recycling or composting household waste (73%, down from 76%), and purchasing fewer new products and goods (58%, down from 61%), indicating that a plateau has been reached in important areas for lowering emissions.
Challenges:
One of the biggest obstacles to consumers embracing a more sustainable lifestyle is still price. Over the past two years, the percentage of consumers who say they have not adopted one or more sustainable practices because they are too costly has increased dramatically, rising from 52% in 2022 to 61% in 2024. The majority of consumers (64%) are either unsure or would not pay more for sustainable goods and services, even though one in three (36%) say they are willing to pay more for them.
Emily Cromwell, ESG lead for the Consumer Industry, Deloitte, said, “Businesses have a pivotal role to play in removing the barriers to sustainable living. It’s not just about offering greener products; it’s about making them accessible, affordable, and the norm. Through adopting circular business models and embracing greater levels of reporting and transparency they can empower consumers, proving that sustainability and convenience can go hand-in-hand.”
Are sustainable behaviors plateauing?
There is still a willingness to make decisions with sustainability and the environment in mind, even though sustainable behaviors are plateauing. Compared to the previous year, the majority of consumers (59%) say they are more dedicated to cutting waste or using less energy (51%).
This comes as two-fifths (41%) of respondents say they are worried about climate change, and among those aged 18 to 34, the percentage rises to 59%, suggesting that climate concern is still present, especially among younger age groups.
Two-thirds (60%) of consumers consider a product’s durability or reparability when making a purchase, and more than half (56%) report having repaired an item rather than purchasing a replacement, demonstrating the ongoing commitment to the circular economy.
Although 75% of consumers would think about using a repair service, 69% of them prefer warranties and authentication before making a purchase of reconditioned goods. Likewise, more than half (54%) of buyers say they are more inclined to believe reconditioned products from well-known brands.
Ms Cromwell said, “The industry is already feeling the effects of the surge in consumer preference for reconditioned products and repair services, which is pushing companies to develop new models that put sustainability and resource efficiency first. Companies that use this method to unlock value will also react to the market’s increasing interest.
Customers seek assistance from businesses:
A slightly higher percentage of consumers in 2024 reported that they had not changed to a more sustainable lifestyle in the previous year because they found it too complicated (up from 39% in 2023 to 42% in 2024) or too inconvenient (up from 40% in 2023 to 43% in 2024).
Instead of requiring them to alter their consumption patterns in order to make more sustainable decisions, nearly half (45%) of customers rely on companies to provide sustainable goods or services as standard. Meanwhile, more than half of consumers (53%) say that businesses should focus on lowering the cost of sustainable alternatives.
Katherine Lampen, Partner and UK climate and Sustainability Lead, Deloitte, said, “Achieving a net-zero economy is about more than just reducing our carbon emissions – we also need to reduce the material intensity of the products we develop and use. It’s a significant change and one that calls for collaboration across government and industry.”
“By acting together, embracing circular operating models, transforming through technology and providing greater transparency, we can better inform and engage consumers, making sustainable choices the easy and attractive option,” she said.
