A survey conducted among Australians in 2022 revealed that Millennials were the most likely to be environmentally conscious when buying new and throwing out unwanted items, with over 92 percent of this generational group considering the environmental effects of their purchases. Of the generational groups included in the survey, Boomers were the least likely to consider the environmental effects of their purchasing behavior. Nonetheless, the majority of Boomer respondents, over 80 percent, still indicated being environmentally conscious shoppers.

Sustainable purchasing trends in Australia

According to a survey conducted in late 2022, over 35 percent of Australian consumers always take sustainability into consideration when shopping, with only five percent reporting never considering the environmental effects of their purchases. The most common sustainability practices engaged in by consumers in 2022 included bringing reusable shopping bags to the store, recycling product waste, and purchasing locally sourced and produced products. As a result of cost-of-living pressures and a shift in consumer behavior due to environmental concerns, Australia’s second-hand items market is expanding. As of September 2022, over 85 percent of Australians reported frequently or occasionally purchasing second-hand products, with clothing, footwear, and accessories being the most popular owned second-hand items among shoppers across the country.

Green claims in Australia – cause for concern?

Green claims are becoming an increasingly prevalent part of our shopping experience. Nonetheless, consumers are becoming more and more suspicious of such claims as concerns around greenwashing rise. In 2022, over 70 percent of Australian consumers were influenced by green claims relating to products and packaging deemed as biodegradable, compostable, or made from natural materials. Shoppers across Australia reported coming across green claims most frequently on household cleaning products, as well as in the energy and grocery retail sectors. Green claims made by Australian-owned businesses and small, local businesses were the most likely to be trusted by consumers across the country, with more than half of consumers trusting these types of companies. Eco-friendly claims made by online-only or international businesses were the least trusted among Australian shoppers.

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