Do Consumers Still Care About Sustainability?

They say they do, but they're not always spending that way. Here's why-and what sustainability-focused entrepreneurs can do about it.

-  by KIM KAVIN

Sustainability was once the hottest word in business. As consumers demanded eco-consciousness, brands raced to prove their green credentials.

Then everything went a little flat.

The data shows it: In a September 2024 Deloitte global survey, 67% of consumers said they view climate change as an emergency-and about half (46%) of them, across 23 countries, bought at least one sustainable good or service in the month of the survey. That's remained steady since 2022, but was down from 56% in 2021.

"Our most recent research indicated that price-consciousness remains the biggest barrier, and as inflation started to bite a couple of years ago, we saw a slight dip in consumers saying they were making sustainable purchases," says Derek Pankratz, senior research leader for the Deloitte U.S. Sustainability Practice.

Kate Assaraf, CEO of the sustainable hair care brand Dip, has experienced this firsthand: She finds that most customers do want to shop sustainably, but "people are tired of spending more on sustainable products only to be left feeling burned."

Where the opportunities are