Kantar has launched the Sustainability Index 2022, a benchmark study of consumer attitudes and behaviors in the field of sustainability and the resulting key issues that every industry needs to address.

The report, based on 33,000 interviews conducted globally (including in Romania) and structured according to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of the UN, captures the following conclusions:

• 65 percent of consumers want to do more to care for the planet and the environment but can’t afford it due to the rising cost of living.

• In addition to financial accessibility, the lack of information about sustainable alternatives is one of the main barriers to a sustainable lifestyle

• Globally, consumers identified water pollution and child labor as the top issues companies should be concerned about.

• Excess packaging, waste and carbon footprint are the issues most strongly associated with companies in various categories.

• Globally, 29 percent of consumers are “active”, meaning they are willing to invest more time and effort to reduce their impact on the planet.

• The main actions that people are willing to take in order to solve the waste problem are: reduce food waste, opt for bags made from recyclable materials when shopping, reduce household energy consumption and recycle.

• 47 percent of consumers and 87 percent of “actives” chose not to purchase a product or service because of its negative impact on the environment or society.

Globally, from a consumer perspective, water pollution, child labor and employee exploitation are the most pressing sustainability issues that companies should focus their efforts on.

Even though 97 percent of people want and are willing to do something to live a more sustainable life, the main barrier now is the prices. 68 percent of consumers believe that products that are better for the environment or that consider societal issues are more expensive. 65 percent want to do more to reduce their negative impact on the environment and the planet but can’t because of the rising cost of living. The increase in the cost of living has the greatest negative impact on sustainable behaviors for residents of the Americas (70 percent).

Only one in three consumers (35 percent) who struggle to afford the cost of living are actively looking for companies or brands that offer ways to reduce their negative impact on the environment, compared to 53 percent of those who financially comfortable life. After price, the second most important barrier to a sustainable lifestyle is lack of information about viable alternatives. 57 percent of consumers feel that it is too difficult to distinguish which products are “good” or “bad” from an ethical or environmental point of view.