Fewer and fewer people are paying attention to sustainability when shopping. According to a study by the market research institute GfK, the proportion of people who have bought or plan to buy environmentally friendly, environmentally friendly or socially responsible products has fallen significantly.
In the representative survey, 1,000 people were asked about their purchasing behavior. The sustainability index, which the GfK determines in this way, fell in October to its lowest value since its first survey in February 2022.
Accordingly, economic uncertainty and persistent inflation are inhibiting the willingness to make sustainable purchases such as furniture, electronic devices, food and drugstore items.
Four years ago, according to GfK, 31 percent of those surveyed said that they could not afford sustainability financially; now the figure is 48 percent.
“The current situation shows that sustainable consumption is increasingly becoming a question of income", explains GfK expert Petra Süptitz. People with a monthly net household income of 4,000 euros or more are particularly willing to shop with sustainability in mind.
According to the survey, 73 percent of Germans believe that they can contribute to climate and environmental protection through their own behavior. However, many consumers are growing doubts about their own effectiveness.
“Almost half of the study participants are convinced that it is of no use if they act in an environmentally friendly manner but others do not"says Süptitz.(dpa)