Our Euromonitor says shoppers continue to support sustainable products but increasingly demand measurable social and financial benefits.
Consumers continue to support sustainable products, but purchasing decisions are increasingly influenced by clear human and financial benefits rather than broad environmental claims, according to a new report by Euromonitor International.
Global sales of sustainable products reached US$886.2 billion in 2025, reflecting a compound annual growth rate of 6.7 per cent between 2020 and 2025. According to the report, sustainable products outpaced the growth of non-sustainable goods by 1.3 percentage points during the same period.
The findings suggest that sustainability has become an expected feature for many consumers rather than a factor that distinguishes one product from another.
RELEVANT SUSTAINABLE GOALS
Sustainability Becomes a Mainstream Consumer Expectation
Euromonitor’s Voice of the Consumer: Health and Nutrition Survey, conducted between January and February 2026, found that climate concern has remained steady at around 60 per cent globally over the past two years.
The survey also found that 45 per cent of consumers continue to make environmentally conscious choices.
According to the report, sustainability is no longer viewed as a premium product attribute on its own. Instead, brands increasingly need to support sustainability claims with measurable and substantiated evidence to justify higher prices.
Financial Pressures Shape Consumer Purchasing Decisions
The report says consumers remain committed to sustainability but are increasingly balancing environmental concerns against financial pressures and everyday challenges.
“Consumers still care, but they are increasingly stretched by financial pressures, geopolitical uncertainty, and the demands of everyday life,” the report said.
Euromonitor found that 57 per cent of global consumers experience moderate to extreme stress each day.
As a result, consumers no longer want sustainability to become another responsibility they must carry alone. Instead, they increasingly favour products that deliver clear, measurable outcomes alongside environmental benefits.
Recyclable Packaging and Local Sourcing Rank Among the Most Trusted Claims
The report identifies recyclable packaging and locally sourced products as the sustainability claims trusted by the largest share of consumers globally, with both cited by 57 per cent of respondents.
They are followed by:
- Natural products, trusted by 55 per cent of consumers.
- Organic products, trusted by 53 per cent.
- Environmentally friendly products, trusted by 52 per cent.
According to Euromonitor, consumers increasingly expect sustainability claims that can be verified through visible and practical benefits.
Measurable Benefits Help Justify Premium Prices
The report cites L’Oréal’s refill campaign as an example of measurable sustainability claims that demonstrate both environmental and financial value.
According to the report, purchasing a 100ml refill instead of two 50ml bottles reduced the cost per millilitre by 46 per cent, while reducing glass use by 73 per cent, plastic use by 66 per cent, and cardboard use by 61 per cent.
The findings suggest that consumers are more willing to pay premium prices when sustainability claims are supported by clear and measurable outcomes.
Social and Ethical Impact Gains Importance
Beyond environmental performance, the report found that consumers increasingly evaluate sustainability through its social and ethical impacts.
These include worker welfare, fair farmer incomes and responsible sourcing practices.
According to the report, 48 per cent of consumers trust sustainably sourced claims.
Products carrying social and ethical claims have also outperformed overall category growth since 2020.
Euromonitor concludes that sustainability is increasingly being judged not only by environmental outcomes but also by the people who benefit from responsible business practices.
“Consumers are no longer evaluating sustainability through environmental impact alone,” the report said. “Increasingly, they want sustainability to have a face, a beneficiary.”
The report indicates that as sustainable products continue to expand their share of global consumer markets, brands seeking to earn consumer trust will increasingly need to demonstrate measurable environmental, social and financial benefits that are visible, credible and relevant to everyday purchasing decisions.
