80% of UK Consumers Prioritise Sustainability: How Ethical Shopping is Changing Retail (2022-2024).
Key takeaways
80% of UK consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable products, with some accepting a 10% price premium
Top sustainability priorities include eco-friendly packaging, reduced manufacturing waste, ethical working practices, and human rights
UK supermarkets are Europe's worst offenders for unnecessary plastic packaging
Younger shoppers (18-24) are significantly more likely to choose ethical retailers
Affordability remains the primary barrier to sustainable purchasing (61% cite cost concerns). Many consumers want to shop responsibly, but if the price gap is too big, they may opt for cheaper alternatives. Companies that find a way to make ethical shopping accessible will stand out in a competitive market
As someone who runs a business selling African accessories, I've noticed a significant shift in how my customers approach their purchases. More and more people ask about the origins of my baskets, how they're made, and the environmental impact of my products. This experience mirrors what's happening across the UK retail landscape.
It’s not just about price and convenience anymore—more and more consumers want to know where their products come from, how they’re made, and whether they align with their values. And they’re willing to pay extra for that peace of mind.
Recent studies and surveys of real people reveal that an impressive 80% of UK consumers are now willing to pay more for sustainably produced or sourced goods.
But what does this actually mean for small businesses like mine, and for the retail sector as a whole?
Consumers are willing to pay more for sustainability
According to PwC's 2024 Voice of the Consumer Survey, some UK consumers are willing to pay an average of 10% more for products that meet environmental standards, such as being locally sourced, made from recycled or eco-friendly materials, or produced in supply chains with lower carbon footprints (PwC, 2024).
People are cutting costs in other areas but still choosing ethical brands when possible, despite the inflation and rising living costs.
What's driving this willingness to pay extra? The survey found that a staggering 85% of consumers report experiencing climate change impacts in their daily lives (PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2024). This firsthand experience seems to be translating directly into shopping habits.
What sustainable practices do shoppers value most?
When I started adding details about sustainable practices on my product pages, I wasn't sure which aspects would resonate most with my customers. Recent research provides some clarity on what UK shoppers care about:
Deloitte's 2024 research on consumer attitudes found that shoppers particularly value:
Sustainable packaging and products
Reduced waste in manufacturing
Ethical working practices
Respect for human rights
Reduced carbon footprints (which moved up from 6th position in 2023) (Fenech, Walton, & Majury, 2024)
Another factor influencing sustainable shopping habits is affordability. A 2024 Statista survey found that 53% of UK consumers would adopt a more sustainable lifestyle if it were more affordable ( Statista, 2024 ). This highlights the delicate balance businesses need to strike—making sustainability accessible without pushing prices too high.
It's worth noting that support for human rights has remained fairly consistent. In 2022, 27% of UK adults were prepared to pay more for brands that respect human rights. This figure slightly decreased to 25% in 2023 but rebounded to 26% in 2024 (Statista, 2024). This suggests that while ethical labor practices matter, economic pressures can sometimes impact consumer choices.
How are consumers taking action?
The shift toward sustainability represents a broader lifestyle change for many UK shoppers. People are actively making different choices to be more conscious.
According to recent studies, 43% of consumers report making more considered purchases to reduce overall consumption, while 32% are changing their food choices, and 31% are adjusting their travel habits. Additionally, 24% have purchased—or plan to purchase—an electric vehicle, 46% are opting for more sustainable products, 25% are using renewable electricity, and 22% are reducing online shopping to minimize carbon-related transport emissions (PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2024).
Meanwhile, a study by Fenech, Walton, and Majury (2024) found that, when asked about the sustainable actions they had taken in the past 12 months, the majority of consumers reported recycling household waste (73%), reducing food waste (68%), and limiting the use of single-use plastics (61%).
Furthermore, 58% have reduced the number of new products they buy, 56% have chosen to repair or fix items rather than replace them, and similar proportions have increased their purchases of locally produced goods (51%) and seasonal produce (56%).
These numbers show that sustainability isn’t a niche concern anymore—it’s mainstream. More than ever, people expect businesses to offer responsible options.
The packaging problem: UK lags behind
Despite growing consumer awareness, the UK has significant room for improvement in some areas. A study by Retail Economics and DS Smith found that UK supermarkets are Europe's worst offenders for unnecessary plastic packaging, generating approximately 29.8 billion pieces of avoidable plastic waste annually—over 1,000 pieces per household (The Times, 2024).
Some sobering statistics also show that 70% of UK grocery items are wrapped in plastic, and 51% of this packaging is considered replaceable or eliminable. In contrast, France has made more progress, with less than 60% of products in an average grocery basket containing plastic (Davies, 2024).
A 2022 survey found that 80% of UK consumers prefer products with eco-friendly packaging, and many feel that online retailers use far too much unnecessary wrapping (Statista, 2022).
This explains why 80% of UK shoppers believe online shipments contain unnecessary packaging. If businesses want to keep up with changing consumer expectations, reducing plastic use should be a top priority.
The affordability challenge
While the desire for sustainability is strong, cost remains the biggest barrier. Affordability is the number one obstacle to adopting a more sustainable lifestyle, cited by 61% of consumers (Fenech, Walton, & Majury, 2024).
The Fairtrade Foundation offers a positive perspective here. Despite financial pressures, they found that nearly 70% of UK adults bought Fairtrade products such as bananas, tea or coffee in the past year. Their director of advocacy, Marie Rumsby , described this as"resilient conscious consumerism," noting that "every Fairtrade purchase makes a difference" at a time when farmers report that global heating is "making it harder to grow crops." (Fairtrade Fortnight, 2024)
Younger generations are leading the change in ethical shopping
Not all consumers approach sustainability with equal enthusiasm. A 2022 survey revealed significant age-related differences: Younger shoppers (aged 18-24) are most likely to buy from ethical retailers, with 66% preferring brands with strong ethical and sustainable credentials (Statista, 2024).
Eco-friendly delivery is most important to shoppers between 18 and 34. Only 2% of those aged 55 and over considered eco-friendly delivery important.
This generation gap presents both challenges and opportunities for retailers targeting different age groups. Millennials and Gen Z are especially committed to sustainability, making it clear that businesses ignoring these concerns risk losing future customers.
What does this mean for your business
Sustainability isn’t just a trend—it’s a fundamental shift in how people think about consumption.
From reducing waste to supporting fair labour and choosing greener materials, UK shoppers are making more conscious decisions. And businesses that take these concerns seriously are the ones that will stand out.
But here’s the reality: it’s not always easy or affordable to keep up. Most mass-produced goods still come from places like China because they’re cheap, and for small businesses—especially those committed to sourcing eco-friendly or handmade products—keeping costs down is a real challenge.
Yes, about 80% of UK consumers say they’re willing to pay more for sustainable products, but there’s a limit. Studies and real-world sales show most people will only stretch about 10% beyond the usual price. Push it too far, and many will still opt for the cheaper, less sustainable plastic alternative.
That means the pressure is on businesses like us, not just to be sustainable, but to innovate in how we source, produce, and price our products. Eco-friendly retail is gaining serious traction, especially among younger consumers. But to truly tap into that growth, we need to balance ethics with affordability. Because at the end of the day, people want to do the right thing—but they also want a good deal.
Businesses that get this balance right? They’re the ones that will shape the future of retail.
References
Consultancy.uk. (2022, January 10). UK consumers embracing more sustainable behaviour. Retrieved March 13, 2025, from Consultancy.uk website: https://www.consultancy.uk/news/30077/uk-consumers-embracing-more-sustainable-behaviour
Davies, M. (2024, October 14). UK supermarkets worst in Europe for unnecessary plastic packaging. Retrieved March 13, 2025, from Thetimes.com website: https://www.thetimes.com/uk/environment/article/uk-supermarkets-worst-in-europe-for-unnecessary-plastic-packaging-rlmfp5v0f?region=global
Fairtrade Fortnight: Celebrating Britain’s resilient conscious consumerism. (2024, December 16). Retrieved March 14, 2025, from Fairtrade website: https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/media-centre/news/fairtrade-fortnight-celebrating-britains-resilient-conscious-consumerism/
Fenech, C., Walton, D. B., & Majury, A. (2024). The Sustainable Consumer. Retrieved March 13, 2025, from Deloitte United Kingdom website: https://www.deloitte.com/uk/en/Industries/consumer/perspectives/the-sustainable-consumer.html
PricewaterhouseCoopers. (2024). Consumers willing to pay 9.7% sustainability premium, even as cost-of-living and inflationary concerns weigh: PwC 2024 Voice of the Consumer Survey. Retrieved from https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/news-room/press-releases/2024/pwc-2024-voice-of-consumer-survey.html
PricewaterhouseCoopers. (2024). Voice of the Consumer Survey 2024 | PwC. Retrieved March 17, 2025, from PwC website: https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/issues/c-suite-insights/voice-of-the-consumer-survey.html
Shopping behavior for ethical & sustainable brands UK 2024 | Statista. (2024). Retrieved March 13, 2025, from Statista website: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1325387/paying-more-for-sustainable-and-ethical-brands-uk/
UK: consumers opinions on sustainable packaging 2022 | Statista. (2022). Retrieved March 13, 2025, from Statista website: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1316659/consumers-opinions-on-sustainable-packaging-uk/
Hi, I’m Rufina,
Back in 2018, I turned my love for crafting African accessories into Rufina Designs, right from my bedroom. It’s been an exciting ride ever since as I’ve delved into the vibrant world of African accessories. For me, it’s more than just a business venture – it’s a celebration of my Ghanaian heritage and a way to support our talented local artisans across Africa.
