The need for real trust in the era of sustainability: Romanians are looking for concrete benefits in sustainable products, such as health impact (80%) and efficiency (78%)

Study no. 196 from Reveal Market Resources

Reveal Marketing Research has carried out, in collaboration with Kaufland Romania and PRO TV , the fourth annual edition of the National Barometer on Romanians’ perceptions and behaviors related to sustainability and how they have evolved between 2022 and 2025.

• Sustainability is translated into terms of responsible use of resources (29%) and recycling (24%)
• Sustainability is personal: 72% of Romanians believe that their actions matter most
• Romanians want sustainable products to bring them clear and immediate benefits, such as positive impact on health (80%) and efficiency in meeting needs (78%)
• BIO products continue to be aspirational for Romanians, who increasingly perceive them as beneficial for health (71% in 2025 compared to 66% in 2024), environmentally friendly (67% compared to 62% in 2024) and of superior quality (60% compared to 54% in 2024)
• Sustainable initiatives are most often associated with the energy sector (37%), food and beverage (37%) and retail (25%)

Responsible use of resources (29%) and recycling (24%) are the main characteristics associated with sustainability

According to the results of the Sustainability Barometer conducted annually by Reveal Marketing Research, in 2025 the ecological component of “protecting the environment” returns to the forefront, after in 2024 consumer perceptions focused more on recycling, amid the introduction of the Guarantee-Return System (SGR).

Thus, environmental protection is the first word that Romanians spontaneously associate with sustainability (20%), the percentage registering a significant increase compared to 2024 (14%) and similar to the percentages of 2022 (17%) and 2023 (22%).

As for the main attributes associated with sustainability, the responsible use of resources remains at the top of Romanians’ perceptions, being mentioned by 29% of respondents. Recycling also remains an important element in this definition, being indicated by 24% of the participants, the percentage being similar to that recorded in the previous year.

Sustainability is personal: 72% of Romanians believe that their actions matter most

Sustainability is perceived primarily as an individual responsibility, 72% of Romanians believe that their own actions have the greatest impact in building a sustainable future. At the same time, they recognize the essential role of companies (68%) and governments (66%) in achieving sustainability goals.

Unlike last year, technology innovation is gaining increasing importance in this process, with the percentage of those who consider it a key factor increasing from 47% to 64%.

In Romanians’ view, the main motivations for adopting a sustainable model at the societal level are protecting the environment (42%) and reducing waste (41%, up with 6% compared to 2024).

The main barriers to adopting environmentally responsible practices and behaviours remain  the high costs of sustainable products (47%) and  consumer distrust in the sustainability of products and services (46%).

Romanians want sustainable products to bring them clear and immediate benefits, such as positive impact on health (80%) and efficiency in meeting needs (78%)

Regarding the sustainable attributes of products, there is a significant change in Romanians’ priorities in 2025, which place a much greater emphasis on the concrete and immediate benefits of products. Thus, the most important sustainable characteristics for them are that the product is beneficial to health (80%, compared to 56% in 2024) and that it is effective in meeting consumer needs (78%, compared to 36% in 2024).

Last year, the focus was more on the local origin of the product (77%, compared to 62% in 2025), and on the involvement of the manufacturing company in measures to reduce its environmental impact (75%, compared to 59% in 2025).

Regarding the frequency of sustainable behaviors, most Romanians adopt habits such as  separate collection of recyclable waste and its storage in dedicated containers (76%), the use of reusable bags (75%), and 65% choose products with recyclable packaging.

Organic products are becoming more and more aspirational for consumers, but price remains the main barrier to purchase

BIO products  continue to be aspirational for Romanians, who increasingly perceive them as beneficial for health (71%, compared to 66% in 2024), environmentally friendly (67%, compared to 62% in 2024) and of superior quality (60%, compared to 54% in 2024). However, only a third of respondents (33%) believe that the prices of these organic products are affordable, a percentage similar to last year.

Over half of Romanians (53%) buy organic products at least once a week, especially young people from generation Z (62%) and Adults without a partner (60%). The main motivations for choosing these products are health benefits  (66%), safety for family and children (42%) and  better taste (37%).

The eco-label, which can include claims such as recyclable, biodegradable or reusable, plays a decisive role in the purchasing process, being described as important or very important for 62% of respondents. At the same time, 89% believe that eco-friendly packaging improves product quality and sustainability .

In the top packaging considered the most sustainable are recycled paper (47%), recyclable plastic (46%) and glass (32%).

Most Romanians (55%) say they care about the sustainability of their products, but they also take into account the price. Thus, 41% would be willing to pay for a sustainable product with 1-10% more, and 18% with 11-20% more.

“Between 2022 and 2025, Romanians’ perceptions of sustainability have evolved significantly. If in 2022 sustainability was perceived more as an effect of global trends, in 2023 economic pressures made topics such as sustainability and recycling more relevant, although many consumers remained skeptical about the effectiveness of the measures adopted. The year 2024 marked a significant increase in interest in recycling, driven by the introduction of the Guarantee-Return System, but sustainability continued to be a secondary criterion in purchasing decisions. In 2025, Romanians increasingly want sustainable products to bring them direct and immediate benefits, such as a positive impact on health (80%) and efficiency in meeting needs (78%), which makes BIO products and packaging become increasingly aspirational”, said Marius Luican, General Manager of Reveal Marketing Research.

Sustainable initiatives are most often associated with the energy sector (37%), food and beverage (37%) and retail (25%)

Only 10% of Romanians said they have heard of sustainability-related initiatives or measures lately. However, 73% say that, in the last year, they have consumed or used sustainable products, especially food (51%) and clothing or footwear (26%).

Regarding the sectors in which Romanians believe that there are the most sustainable initiatives, these are energy (37%), food and beverages (37%) and retail (25%). On the other hand, the least involved sectors are residential construction (8%), telecommunications services (7%) and the financial-banking sector (6%).

Looking to the future, Romanians want organizations and companies to support eco-friendly initiatives mainly by adopting greener technologies and processes (40%, up 4% compared to 2024), developing and launching sustainable products (39%) and financially supporting eco-friendly and innovative projects (37%).

In this direction, in 2025, Romanians believe to a greater extent than last year that innovative technologies can significantly contribute to environmental protection and sustainable development, especially through solutions for recycling and waste recovery (75%, compared to 71% in 2024) and by reducing energy and resource consumption (74%, compared to 70% in 2024).

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About Reveal Marketing Research

Reveal Marketing Research is a full-service market research company, specialized 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 the right decisions and brand positioning. Qualitative and quantitative solutions have been helping companies in Romania and other European countries for 16 years.

Reveal Market Resources, study no. 196: Reveal Market Resources is a data hub that includes free studies published in order to support the marketing and communication market in Romania.

Methodology: The Reveal Marketing Research study was conducted online between April 15-20, 2024 on a nationally representative sample, applied online for the universe of people aged 18+, from urban and large rural areas. The sample size was 1004 respondents, and the maximum sampling error is +/-3.1% at a 95% confidence level.