Eco-barriers

94% of Chinese consumers indicate sustainability is important. This number is based on proprietary research by InSites Consulting with 802 Chinese consumers . Yet, we also found many are not acting upon this sentiment, leading to a so-called ‘say-do gap’ where intentions are high, however actual behavior is low. In our research, we identified four ‘eco-barriers’ that are holding consumers back from living a more sustainable life:

• Affordability: sustainable means more expensive
• Accessibility: lack of sustainable alternatives and of information as to which products are sustainable
• Performance: consumers feel forced to make a trade-off between sustainability and performance
• Convenience: perception that living more sustainably requires too much time and effort

 

What this means for brands

With over 79% of Chinese consumers indicating they wish to change their habits, brands can play an important role by reducing these ‘eco-barriers’. In fact, consumers also expect brands to act with 82% stating brands should look after the planet.

• Affordability: As 48% of consumers say they would live more sustainably if products were cheaper, affordability is a key factor to consider. An affordable yet sustainable solution that is gaining ground is refillable packaging marketed at a lower price.
• Accessibility: 38% of consumers in our research state they would live more sustainable if products were widely and easily available. Ensuring sustainable solutions are available online and offline is a quick win.
• Performance: Research has shown that when a brand highlights a product’s sustainable attributes, consumers implicitly think that the product will perform worse than its less sustainable counterpart. Providing reassurance around the performance of sustainable solutions is thus key for brands.
• Convenience: 56% of Chinese consumers say they would adopt a more sustainable lifestyle if it required less time or effort. For brands it’s thus about marrying convenience with sustainability. Like BIOfarm, one of China’s pioneers in organic farming, that delivers farm-fresh organic food to consumers’ doorsteps via a subscription formula.

 

Once its sustainability mission and strategy are clear, it’s vital for a brand to communicate about them. In fact, 84% of Chinese consumers feel brands/ companies should be more transparent and provide additional information about their sustainability ambitions and progress. In Conscious Consumption: the China edition, we’ve identified four sustainability ‘golden communication rules’ in sustainability.

1. Dare to talk about the long term
2. Celebrate achievements
3. Be transparent
4. Stick with your brand’s tone of voice
5. Use a China-specific narrative

 

Curious for more? This blogpost is based on an article for Impact magazine. You can read the full article here (page 11).

 

All facts & figures are based on a study conducted by InSites Consulting in December 2021 – January 2022, among 802 respondents from three generations (Generations X, Y and Z) in mainland China (Tier 1, 2, 3 and 4 cities). The sample was representative for each generation.