Majority of Gen Z admit they ‘talk more about sustainability than they practice’

Almost six in 10 (59%) of Gen Z consumers admit they talk more about sustainability than they practice, while 43% have an “aspirational intention” where they care about sustainability but will compromise when considering cost or convenience.

That’s according to a new survey of 1,500 Gen Z consumers by RSM UK in conjunction with Retail Economics, pointing to a significant “intention gap” in Gen Z’s sustainable shopping habits – despite almost a third (29%) saying they are committed to sustainability.

The intention gap becomes even wider when age is considered, as “committed shoppers” jump to 39% between 24-28 year-olds and fall to 20% for 18-21 year-olds.

There is also some indifference, with 28% of Gen Z placing low priority on sustainability, guided more by price and ease of access.

In addition, the survey revealed that 40% of Gen Z confess to often buying items they will only wear or use once.

Cathy Faria, ESG Associate Director at RSM UK, said: “There are clear contradictions between intent and the buying habits of Gen Z when it comes to sustainability, with many not practicing what they preach. Ultimately, they face a trade-off between values, budgets and desires for instant consumption.

“Gen Z grew up in the era of ‘ultra-fast fashion’ with the likes of Shein and Temu. Such retailers operate on hyper-speed production, daily new designs and minimal production costs, meaning products are often available at extremely low prices.

“In a world where budgets are being increasingly squeezed every day, the combination of low cost products and convenience can be hard to resist, making it difficult for other retailers to compete.”

Aside from that, Faria believes there’s a real opportunity for retailers to tackle sustainable fashion, as it’s clearly of high importance, “particularly for more financially secure Gen Z consumers.”

That involves sourcing natural fabrics and recycled materials, optimising supply chain efficiency, as well as ensuring safe working conditions and fair pay.

Faria also points to the interest in pre-loved shopping gaining momentum, with many major retailers now showcasing second hand collections in store.

She added: “We expect to see more retailers introducing new innovative initiatives to tap into this growing area of the market. An example is M&S’s recent launch of an online takeback scheme and clothing resale service in partnership with eBay, where items are cleaned, repaired and listed online, and those that cannot be resold are repurposed or recycled.”

Jacqui Baker, Head of Retail at RSM UK, said sustainability decisions among Gen Z also vary within the different areas of retail.

“Affordability and quality will dominate decisions most of the time, but sustainability rises sharply in importance in the health and beauty sector,” she said.

“Natural and ethical credentials are tied directly to safety, wellbeing and self-care, meaning here, sustainability is not just a bolt-on, it’s integral to the product.”

Baker added that the health and beauty sector continues to benefit from the “lipstick effect”, as consumers cut back on other retail categories while also showing a willingness to pay a premium if a product has sustainable credentials attached to it.