Reveal Marketing Research study: Sustainability in consumption, a growing concern – “real” changes and affordable prices becoming priorities
Reveal Market Resources, Study No. 177
Reveal Marketing Research, in collaboration with Kaufland România, Heidelberg Materials România and Valorem, conducted the third edition of the annual barometer on consumer behaviors and expectations regarding sustainability, examining how these have evolved compared to similar studies conducted in the past two years.
Interest in sustainability is growing, and addressing sustainability issues requires a collective effort
The study highlights a significant increase in interest regarding sustainability, with the percentage of Romanians who consider this aspect important rising to 58% in 2024, compared to 36% in 2023.
This accelerated evolution can also be attributed to the implementation of the Deposit Return System (SGR), which has raised awareness of the impact of individual actions on the environment.
The main solutions identified for addressing the sustainability issues of today’s society focus on three key areas: changing individual behavior (74%), adjusting government attitudes and policies (73%), and increasing the production of green energy (72%).
These figures reflect that the transition to a sustainable model requires a collective effort, supported by changes at the individual level, as well as institutional initiatives and technological advancements.
Regarding the role of innovations in addressing sustainability issues, 65% of Romanians believe that technological innovations will provide significant solutions to current sustainability problems in society.
The food and beverage industry (20%) and retail (15%) are perceived as the sectors most involved in sustainable practices
In the perception of Romanians, the food and beverage industry (20%), retail (15%), and the energy industry (13%) are considered the most involved sectors in sustainable practices.
On the other hand, the sustainability industry (recycling, waste collection, etc.) has seen a significant decline from 17% in 2023 to 6% in 2024. This change highlights the need for real and visible transformations across all industries.
Television (61%) and social media (43%) remain the main sources of information about sustainability
42% of Romanian respondents consider themselves well-informed about sustainability, a 10% increase compared to the previous year. Unpartnered adults (50%), followed by men (46%, compared to 38% for women), report being more informed about sustainability.
The study shows that television (61%) and social media (43%) continue to be the primary sources of information on sustainability.
However, in 2024, there is a slight decline in the use of traditional information sources, with television decreasing from 66% in 2023 to 61%, and radio dropping from 22% in 2023 to 17%.
Even in 2024, Romanians want more involvement from companies to encourage responsible behavior among the population
36% of Romanians state that they try to consume as sustainably as possible, and this remains a constant concern for them, with the percentage increasing compared to last year (28%).
Regarding purchasing behavior, affordability (83%) remains the most important factor when Romanians choose a product.
Additionally, there is an increase in the percentage of people who read the information on a product’s label and refuse to buy it if it does not promote sustainable consumption (30%), compared to 2023 (25%).
In 2024, Romanians believe that encouraging waste collection and recycling (12%) remains a company action that would stimulate more responsible and sustainable consumption behavior. Lower prices (10%) and promoting sustainability through public education (9%) would also contribute to more sustainable consumption behavior.
Compared to previous years, in 2024, it is observed that company actions have a lower impact on encouraging consumers to adopt responsible and sustainable behavior. The only factor that saw an increase compared to 2023 was lower prices (+6%).
The most urgent sustainability issues to address are deforestation (56%) and recycling (52%)
The most urgent sustainability issues that should be addressed in the next year are the banning of deforestation (56%), recycling all possible materials (52%), and doubling forested areas (46%).
On the other hand, the actions that respondents do not consider necessary are eliminating animal-based products from consumption (52%) and phasing out fossil fuel-powered cars (27%).
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About Reveal Marketing Research
Reveal Marketing Research is a full-service market research company specializing in marketing research, sociological studies, customer insight, business strategy, market development. With expertise in over 20 industries, Reveal Marketing Research believes that market research is the basis for good decisions and brand positioning. The qualitative and quantitative solutions have been helping companies in Romania and other European countries for 16 years.
Reveal Market Resources, study no. 177: Reveal Market Resources is a data hub of free studies offered to audiences, with the aim of supporting the marketing and communication market in Romania.
Methodology: The Reveal Marketing Research study was conducted online during 17-25.10.2024, on a representative sample of individuals aged 18 and above, internet users, from urban and rural areas. The sample size was 1012 respondents, with a maximum sampling error of +/-3.1% at a 95% confidence level.