Amazon: many UK shoppers prefer to buy products with positive environmental impacts, but issues remain

According to a recent Amazon commissioned study of 2,000 British shoppers, two in three people would prefer to buy products that have a more positive environmental and social impact, although the same number struggle to identify them, due to confusing product labelling.

In fact, UK shoppers find building flat-pack furniture (44%), completing a giant crossword puzzle (35%) and cooking an elaborate dinner party from scratch (31%) easier than figuring out the environmental impacts of products when shopping.

As a result, only 7% of Brits say they always understand a product’s environmental impact when they shop.

63% of those surveyed want retailers to help them easily identify products which have a more positive environmental and social impact. This ranges from everyday items like socks and sugar, to personal care products like soap and sunscreen. 

Amazon says that it makes it easier for customers to discover and shop for products with improvements in at least one aspect of sustainability.

Its Climate Pledge Friendly badge helps shoppers to discover and filter products based on clear sustainability features – from products containing recycled materials and designed with less packaging, to items made from organic content and safer chemicals.

These features are based on vetted and reputable third-party certifications, such as Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade International and Forest Stewardship Council. 

Certifications matter to UK shoppers, with 77% of people surveyed saying they are more likely to trust a product’s sustainability claims if it is supported by an official certification from a reputable organisation. 41% of UK shoppers also claim to have abandoned a purchase when they did not trust or understand its sustainability claims.

One in three people surveyed claim they are more likely to try a new brand or product if their social, ethical and environmental credentials are clear on the product itself, or at the Point of Sale online, giving them reassurance these brands align with their principles.

“Products with certified sustainability features are a top choice for UK shoppers, and it’s important that customers can easily understand exactly what those features are. At Amazon, we’re taking the guesswork out of the shopping experience, helping customers to shop for items that match their values,” says John Boumphrey, Amazon UK Country Manager.

Among the most sought-after sustainability features that UK shoppers look for are welfare to animals (44%), reduced packaging (36%), made with chemicals safe for human health and the environment (33%) and items made with recycled materials (31%), while 28% seek products that are made with responsible farming and forestry methods, according to the survey.

The top five product categories that UK shoppers expect to find more sustainable options for include food and beverage items (49%), cleaning products (49%), cosmetics and beauty (41%), apparel (33%) and electronics/appliances (23%).

Nearly 37.6 million Amazon customers have switched to Climate Pledge Friendly badged products in 2023, leading to over 1.16 billion items sold, a 42% increase from 2022. As of today, Amazon’s Climate Pledge Friendly product selection has grown to more than 1.4 million items globally – a 157% increase from 2022. 

“Amazon’s Climate Pledge Friendly certifications help us to communicate our brand commitment to more-sustainable processes and products,” says Tom Lloyd, Co-Founder and Commercial Director at Bloomsbury Mill, a children's and baby brand in the UK, with several popular Climate Pledge Friendly products on the Amazon UK store.

“The qualification process is reassuringly thorough which means when customers see the Climate Pledge Friendly badge, they can be confident they are purchasing a product that goes some way to help preserve the natural world we live in.”

2024 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

Green retail is a key focus area for the sixth edition of the RTIH Innovation Awards, which is now open for entries.

The awards, sponsored by CADS, 3D Cloud, Retail Technology Show 2025, and Business France, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

It’s free to enter and you can do so across multiple categories.

Key 2024 dates

Friday, 25th October: Award entry deadline 

Tuesday, 29th October: 2024 shortlist revealed

30th October-6th November: Judging days

Thursday, 21st November: Winners announced at the 2024 RTIH Innovation Awards ceremony, to be held at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London.