Report: Consumers view sustainable purchases as moral responsibility

Consumers have shifted their reasoning for purchasing sustainable products from a more personal aspect to a more environmentally responsible perspective, according to report from The Hartman Group, titled “Sustainability 2019: Beyond Business as Usual.”

While recent media headlines have documented mounting environmental and social challenges worldwide, consumers have been contemplating the maze of headlines, claims, jargon, certifications, and corporate and public interest platforms that make up the complex world of sustainability for decades, the report stated.

"Sustainability is shorthand for a complete moral system of cultural values, beliefs and attitudes related to a sense of responsibility for the greater good,” said Laurie Demeritt, CEO of The Hartman Group, a consumer research and consulting firm."

As a result of the growing concern and coverage of climate change, the report found that today’s consumers are confronted by real and immediate sustainability challenges. Crises no longer seem far away in time or space — even abstract problems like climate change and the permanence of plastic waste have become pressing for consumers, who want progress and solutions.

“While the stakes are getting higher, eroding trust in government and corporations has left consumers hungry for leadership,” Demeritt said. “The moral, even spiritual overtones evident in consumers’ relationship to sustainability stem not just from a search for hope and resilience but also a sense that collective action and even sacrifice is necessary for progress.”

To read The Hartman Group report, click here.