In recent primary research we did for PL Buyer magazine using our national panel, we took a look at how sustainability influences the grocery consumer. We found that although consumers express the importance of sustainability they are not really willing to pay a premium for it. The basics of quality, price and nutrition rank much higher in the consumers mind.
Perhaps the way for the grocery industry to think about sustainability is, in a highly competitive market with all else being equal, it could be used as a differentiator. Or perhaps a less cynical approach would be to look at sustainability as a more efficient way of doing business that does not need a premium price tag and actually benefits the planet.
Here is how consumers ranked of the different sustainability attributes.
The full research article can be found in our downloads section.
