Consumer goods companies have long been paying attention to their customers’ increasing demand for environmentally friendly products. Even despite the pandemic, sustainability and climate change have remained, or outright increased, as top concerns of consumers globally.

The consumer goods industry has already set various ambitious goals from cutting greenhouse gas emissions, minimising food waste, reducing plastic waste, and bettering crop sustainability. At the same time, specialist studies and mainstream journalism point to widespread greenwashing trends and brands are named and damaged. In this industry, it is a particularly significant risk for individual companies. And commentators point to the risks of consumers losing trust in green messaging by brands at large.

Consumer goods brands are facing a complex sustainability challenge. We are witnessing an era that appears to be the best to sell sustainable consumer goods as a remarkably high proportion of consumers report positive attitudes towards environment-friendly and responsible products. However, much less of them actually follow these preferences when making purchasing decisions. Also, while it is evident that eco-consumerism is on the rise, some consumer segments are yet to embrace sustainable purchases. Yet, it is likely that these segments will increasingly choose more sustainable options as businesses make environmentally conscious choices for consumers more accessible and affordable. Furthermore, sustainability practices and infrastructures are in constant flux creating even further challenges for consumer brands. Businesses are balancing between reacting and leading.

We have tailored our approach to support companies in the consumer goods industry to tackle these challenges and take the leading role in this industry.