Inspiring sustainable consumption
Fascinating research released by Thinks Insight and Strategy gives new insight into what motivates consumers in four countries to make more sustainable choices in their daily lives. The findings provide valuable additional information for those wishing to help people positively change their behaviour. From my perspective, there are five key findings from the research.
1. A New Normal
The research illustrates that sustainable consumer behaviour is becoming the new normal. Sustainability actions and aspirations are increasingly aligned with daily choices and personal goals such as investing in sustainable products, buying less, or choosing transport options such as cycling. Sustainability is no longer a niche, side consideration and this is being realised by the most progressive brands who are embedding it into their values, products, and communications.
As the implications of climate change become more apparent through extreme weather events, rising food prices and loss of nature this understanding for the need to change behaviour will increase and companies should be prepared for shifting customer expectations.
2. Sophisticated but simple
The research revealed that as the debate around sustainability gets more embedded into the mainstream people are responding in different ways with varied motivations. A total of six different segments of consumer were identified, some were driven by thrift whilst others wanted guidance on sustainable investment. As the market becomes more sophisticated marketers need to increasingly refine their messaging and targeting.
Conversely people are confused about what are the most effective actions they should take. They can find the jargon overwhelming and are discouraged by constant downbeat negativity. This means that alongside a more sophisticated approach to targeting, marketers need to simplify messaging highlighting the benefits that changes will yield rather than focussing on the negative.
3. Social Contract
The research revealed that whilst people want to live more sustainably the majority across all segments are sceptical of purpose driven communications from companies. This scepticism could grow as regulators more publicly scrutinise claims of green washing and has already led to companies staying quiet on sustainability for fear of getting it wrong – something increasingly known as green hushing.
Rebuilding trust will take time and is complex. It will require creating a new social contract between companies and customers which demonstrates that companies are doing all they can and are using their experience and resources to help customers join them. This can be achieved by being transparent about the steps that companies are taking behind the scenes making it easier for their customers to make a greener choice.
Companies should also ensure that communications are relevant and understandable. The days of demonstrating sustainability commitments by stating a long-term ambition to hit a target which is meaningless to most people are over. Instead, companies need to be prepared to highlight the immediate practical steps being taken towards their overall target.
4. Radical Collaboration
Unsurprisingly, the research revealed that people were most likely to take positive action where the systems made it easier for them to act or where those activities were embedded within the existing culture. This is probably why the largest segment of ‘Green Movers’ was in Germany with lowest in the US. It could also explain why the ‘Local Champions’ segment was strongest in India.
These findings indicate the importance of having the right systems in place to make it easy to take sustainable action. Very often central government is responsible for driving these systems and in many cases are not providing this leadership. This is reflected in the research which indicates that one of the main barriers to action is missing regulation with people commenting that nobody seems to be in charge.
Where a vacuum of central government leadership occurs, companies need to consider how they can radically collaborate across a range of sectors exploring whether there is scope for them either to jointly create new systems making it easier for people to act or how they can put pressure on government to take a more active role.
5. It will be bumpy
Science tells us that we will be facing more extreme weather events and that rapid change is required to cut greenhouse gas emissions, safeguard nature and build resilience. In any period of extreme change there will be winners and losers which increases the risk of polarisation and antagonism. Some governments are using these growing divisions for political purposes which is already happening in the UK and US.
Inevitably this national discourse will play into the attitudes and behaviours of consumers. One of the segments identified by the research was a ‘Do Nothing’ group who were either apathetic or antagonistic. It is probable that the level of antagonism will grow and marketers should be ready for some potentially robust kick-back on their sustainability claims.