Covid drives big shift to sustainability for UK consumers - report

By

Nigel TAYLOR

Published
Dec 2, 2020

It’s hard to believe Covid-19 has delivered anything remotely positive. But it appears the pandemic has led to a surge in interest in sustainability.

Almost a third of UK shoppers (29.2%) said the pandemic had made them more conscious of sustainable fashion, according to research by the Fashion Retail Academy. Some 19% of Britons are also planning to buy more sustainable Christmas gifts this year compared to last.

The report said sustainable buying is being driven by the young, with 37% of 18-24 year-olds planning to buy more environmentally-friendly products compared to a year ago.

Environmentally conscious consumers are more common in London and Scotland compared to anywhere else in the UK, where this figure rises to 25%.

Lee Lucas, principal of the Fashion Retail Academy, said: “The pandemic has forced many of us to think about our impact on the planet and how wasteful we can be as a nation, and that means sustainability is in fashion like never before this winter.

“The shift towards sustainable shopping presents a great opportunity for retailers to widen their range of products to cater for this new type of environmentally-conscious consumer.

“With shops now finally open again after the second lockdown, retailers across the country should be mindful of product placement in stores, shop windows and advertising as consumers start to vote with their feet over sustainable goods“.