The rise of the eco-friendly consumer
During the pandemic, consumers have become more sensitive to the environmental impacts of their shopping decisions, and consumer companies are responding.
Photograph by Iuliia Bondar
During the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers might have run low on toilet paper or flour, or might have searched online in vain for an inflatable backyard pool. But there was one thing in endless supply for many stuck at home: time. And given more time to contemplate everyday actions and choices, a lot of people started focusing on the environmental impacts of their purchasing decisions. Even before the pandemic, consumers had begun to prioritize sustainability. But in PwC’s June 2021 Global Consumer Insights Pulse Survey, half of all global consumers surveyed say they’ve become even more eco-friendly.