Across Australia, the demand for eco-friendly and ethical goods and services has been gaining momentum. For several consumers,
, alongside the societal impacts of their product acquisitions. Nonetheless, as inflation continues to bite, propelling cost and convenience into center stage in purchase decisions, and the prevalence of ‘greenwashed’ products becomes more evident, will Australian consumer actions be able to match their sustainability awareness and intentions?
Closing Australia’s fashion loop
Mindfulness around fast fashion’s adverse social and environmental outcomes is growing, with many Australians seeking ‘greener’ clothing alternatives and purchasing routes. To
lessen the environmental and social ramifications of their fashion habits, Australian intentions to reduce clothing purchases, research responsible disposal methods, and learn to mend and upcycle the existing items in their closets are mounting. Australia’s Gen Z and Millennial shoppers are the driving force behind eco-friendly clothing acquisition, with Boomers the least likely to have bought sustainable fashion. Yet, while many Australians hope the clothes they buy labeled as ‘sustainable’ are truly eco-friendly, several doubt
fashion brands’ transparency. Moreover, Australia’s high clothing consumption and waste levels continue to outpace
fashion circularity initiatives like Seamless.
‘Green’ grocery shopping: sustainable food consumption efforts
The demand for sustainable options in the grocery and food service sectors is another notable trend among Australia’s eco-conscious consumers. Several shoppers increasingly opt for
local goods and
plant-based foods to reduce their meat and animal-derived product consumption and have become more mindful of their food delivery habits to offset their carbon footprint. Alongside this, minimizing food waste and buying seasonal fruit and vegetables were among the top five
actions taken by Australians to adopt a sustainable lifestyle in 2023. The country’s consumers also have higher
expectations for hospitality venue sustainability practices, including using sustainably sourced, seasonal produce and donating unused food to charities.
Do-say gap: action versus intention
Nonetheless, awareness and intentions are not always translating into proactivity. In a 2023 survey, only one in 10 Australian consumers
confidently expressed they had a sustainable lifestyle. Over three-quarters of respondents cited a lack of corporate responsibility, efforts, and transparency regarding sustainability as a fundamental delayer of their sustainable consumption journeys and closing the value-to-action gap. Many consumers voiced that the conventional concept of sustainability no longer suffices and that brands must go beyond sustaining to regenerative sustainability to restore and protect the planet for future generations.
Green claims: the business-consumer trust gap
The consumer call for accurate reporting and product labeling alongside concrete explanations of the beneficial environmental impacts of products has heightened following recent scrutiny of
many Australian business green claims, riddled with misleading and uncorroborated information. Despite the vital retention opportunities afforded by aligning with shopper sustainability expectations,
knowledge and awareness of the circular economy remain limited among some Australian organizations. Several fashion shoppers nationwide indicated in 2023 that they would
reduce or stop purchasing from brands found to be greenwashing. In the hopes of regulating green claims, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) released extensive guidance for businesses on making environmental claims in December 2023.
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