Intelligence

The sustainability switch: How brands can help consumers make attitudinal, behavioural and lifestyle changes

June 4, 2025

Creating sustainable behaviour changes is a complex challenge for consumers, brands and regulators alike. Basis’s research has shown that consumers often claim that sustainability is high on their agenda, yet fail to make the necessary lifestyle changes to embrace it. In our panel at the MRS Sustainability Summit in November 2020, speakers from leading brands John Lewis Partnership (JLP), BT, Ecover/Method and Google discussed how they are taking consumers on a journey of sustainability discovery and realisation.

Why sustainability comes second to other benefits

One finding from our own research has been that sustainability is usually a secondary driver of new behaviours. A proposition has to offer more tangible benefits. Even if we take our starting point at a known ethical brand, like Method, sustainability isn’t the primary reason consumers buy. Their choice is based on design and fragrance, with sustainability as a secondary benefit, or even a happy coincidence. This approach has allowed the brand to soar to mass market relevance

Google’s recent research with Basis into sustainability messaging in fashion revealed that sustainability claims are correlated with increased purchase intent and willingness to pay in some categories. However, Gerald from Google explained that the research indicates that this uplift was due to sustainability claims’ impact as proof points of quality, rather than consumers ascribing high value to sustainability per se.

It’s complicated: making sustainability meaningful

Sustainability is more complex than most consumers appreciate. Much of the work brands do goes unnoticed or uncredited because consumers either don’t see it, or don’t recognise its value. Sustainability messaging is most meaningful when it can be kept simple, and made tangible.

Evelyn from Ecover/Method explained how consumers are constantly faced with ‘climate conundrums’ – trade-offs between lesser evils. These can lead to choice paralysis, as consumers try to assess whether it’s better to, for example, drive to a shop where they can refill their washing-up liquid bottle, or buy a new bottle from a shop they can walk to. Ecover keep their sustainability messaging on-pack as succinct as possible, with further detail provided online. For example, that their bottles are made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic. This helps them to frame Ecover as a sustainability choice within its categories.

BT has worked to embed sustainability across the customer journey, from electrifying the fleet down to optimizing the packaging for hubs and routers. Georgie explained that wherever a consumer encounters BT, the experience underlines the fact that BT is a good corporate citizen – reflecting all the work they do behind the scenes in their operations and supply chain to reduce their environmental impact.

Josie from JLP explained how the retailer focuses on providing sustainability information where and when consumers are looking for it – which means tailoring approaches to different categories. This is often based on investment and engagement levels in particular products. More details will be sought on meat and fish for instance, than staples like tinned beans or sliced bread.

COVID in the mix: How sustainability views have changed

Google’s analysis of search terms this year shows that interest in sustainability is now above 2019 levels, having taken a dip during the first lockdown. Interest and searches for local options are up too. So, despite the challenges of 2020, the year will end with consumers more focused on sustainability than ever before.

While there are positives here, Gerald explained that there’s a large asymmetry in responses, between those who have done well during the pandemic – earning the same and spending less – and those who have suffered financially, health wise or emotionally. This has implications for sustainability in the long term – will it be seen as a ‘first-world problem”, or something only for the virtue-signalling middle classes to engage with?

This is something we will come back to as we continue to research this fascinating topic.

Thank you to our panellists:

Evelyn Tinker
European Consumer Insights Lead, Ecover

Georgie White
Head of Insight, BT

Gerald Breatnach
Head of Strategic Insights, Google

Josephine Turner
Insight Manager, John Lewis Partnership

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