Scottish consumers expect sustainability to be a business focus

A total of 63% of Scottish consumers believe that retailers who don’t take sustainability or environmental issues seriously are likely to lose out in the future, according to new research from TWC, in collaboration with the Scottish Wholesale Association (SWA). This was higher than the figure for the total UK (54%).

The research will be further analysed and shared in a webinar – ‘Sustainability and the Scottish Consumer’ – hosted by the SWA and presented by Sarah Coleman, director of communications at TWC, on 13 September from 9:00-9:30am. To register, visit: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/9XFYCYM

In the research conducted in June 2022, 27% of Scottish consumers agreed that environmental and sustainability issues are influencing where they shop for groceries – but this represents a significant drop compared to autumn 2021, when 38% of Scots agreed, according to the TWC research conducted at that time.

Half of the consumers surveyed agreed that they want to make sustainable choices, but they are not willing to pay extra for this benefit.

Interestingly, consumers aged 55+ and those without children were most likely to agree with this statement and yet the research also highlighted these groups as the least likely to be struggling financially at the current time. This could suggest that it’s not just about being able to afford to pay a premium, but that some consumers are simply unwilling to pay more for this benefit, putting a greater onus on businesses to absorb any additional costs.

Colin Smith, chief executive of the SWA, said: “The research is very interesting as it clearly shows that consumers are ever more conscious that change is required and businesses need to be more sustainable. However, if consumers are unwilling to pay for such investment, what does this mean for retailers and the wholesalers that supply them? Our breakfast briefing will look at this and discuss who will ultimately end up paying.”