Mintel research: Key 2018 consumer trends relate to sustainability
Major European consumer trends, identified by research firm Mintel for 2018 and beyond, relate to sustainability. They include:
- Sea change: More and more companies will focus on providing sustainable products made from recycled ocean plastic, taking targeted action:
- In Spring 2017, Adidas launched the new editions of the popular UltraBoost shoe, all made from ocean plastic.
- Procter & Gamble committed to introduce 25% recycled plastic across 500 million bottles sold annually on the company’s haircare brands.
- At the same time, consumers are increasingly more aware of the impact of ocean plastic on wildlife and on their own health Tweet This!, and of the importance of recycling. According to the research:
- 66 per cent of Polish consumers prefer to drink water from a recyclable bottle.
- Over half of UK fish consumers would be interested in sustainable alternatives.
- 72 per cent of UK consumers would buy products with packaging made from recycled plastic.
- Transparency: As consumer distrust towards governments and media is spreading to companies, the latter will have to demonstrate greater transparency and openness regarding product ingredients, packaging and sourcing, as well as manufacturing processes. According to the research:
- No less than half of Europeans agree that the enhanced ability of consumers to communicate and find information through the internet and social media puts pressure on companies to be more transparent.
- One out of five 20- to 24-year-olds in the UK would like online retailers to publish videos showing how shoes and clothes are made.
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