Shoppers want to believe that responsible living can slow damage to the planet’s ecosystems, but they are uncertain about the tangible benefits. While desiring cleaner, more holistic lifestyles, overlapping factors shape shopping choices beyond the perils of nature.
Navigating shifting perspectives on sustainable consumption is complex. Here are five issues to consider.
1. Adapting to On-Demand Mindsets
Sustained expansion of mobile commerce means on-demand speed and convenience are ingrained in consumer mindsets from Shanghai to Bangkok and Seoul to Hanoi. The growing appeal for nature-based experiences and outdoor activities raises the urgency of adopting more sustainable consumer habits.
Bringing the supply point closer to production in large markets reduces manufacturing costs and meets consumer demands for fast delivery. Shorter distribution distances cut carbon emissions. Brands can leverage this closeness to consumers by presenting products as low-carbon experiences whose incremental environment benefits become more impactful over time.
2. Stimulating Social Discussions
Beyond sharing and liking, social networks are valued by young people in Asian markets as mediums for learning and self-education. Bombarded by digital promotions, they are looking for practical insights about how a product can help them make a positive contribution to the planet. They also seek peer assurances that biodiverse and low-carbon claims are verifiable.
Participation is crucial. Social network users enjoy interacting as they learn. Emojis and comments decorate livestreams, which can quickly popularize a brand’s environmental-friendly credentials for an engaged audience. Stimulating social debates about how brands and consumers can partner together builds trust and filters suspicions about greenwashing and empty promises.
3. Gaining Second Life Trust
Consumers align themselves with brands they trust, but their loyalty is hard to win and easily lost. Short video case studies of progressive initiatives delivering social benefits drive viral advocacy for brands and retailers. Promoting the environmental-friendly attributes of fresh products is only part of the equation. Existing inventory is a battleground for planet-friendly engagement.
Social impact businesses across Asia work with brands to derive new value from excess and aged inventory, plus used and obsolete items. Putting waste back to work to create purposeful “second life” products represents a clear investment in the environment. Textile hangers made from rescued denim clothing, backpacks designed from salvaged car airbags, and clothing fashioned from replaced hotel fabrics treat the excess as an asset, not a discharge.
4. Balancing Cost and Value
Price elasticity is a hot topic in Asian markets with relevance for responsible shopping. The continued success of online shopping festivals shows that consumers expect price discounts and purchase incentives. The perceived value of products is uppermost in shoppers’ minds as inflation and weak currencies guide purchasing decisions.
Balancing cost and value with preserving resources is complex. Ethically produced products often command a higher price. Shoppers desire a broader range and greater availability of planet-friendly products at affordable prices. Surveys show consumer interest is piqued when the price gap narrows between products they know and low-impact alternatives.
5. Bridging the Say-Do Gap
Asian consumers are struggling to match aspirations for low-carbon living with the daily realities of living, working, and consuming. A “Say-Do” gap between ethical intention and action was identified among consumers before the pandemic. The challenges around responsible shopping have intensified since Asian markets reopened after the recent pandemic.
The Say-Do gap transcends segments, from skincare to packaged foods and fashions to travel services. Amid a surfeit promising clean-life campaign promises, consumer attitudes fluctuate. Shoppers scrutinize sustainability promises and question whether ethical buying can heal the world. Responsible brands respond by setting transparent goals for initiatives that promote carbon cleansing and regularly report their progress towards meeting targets.
