Consumers often choose products aligned with their sustainability and social values, where a product's qualities in these areas of similar price points can mean the difference between being purchased or passed over. However, greenwashing and social washing have generated a sense of distrust in consumers; Kantar's latest research reveals that 52 per cent of consumers globally say they have seen or heard false or misleading information about the sustainable actions taken by brands.
Sourced from 32,000 interviews across 42 sectors in 33 countries, Kantar's research revealed that consumers were highly alarmed across the board for brands' greenwashing and social washing. This crisis of trust in brands requires direct action to mitigate these consumer concerns and to build a renewed strength of trust and loyalty to brands.
There is a 51 percent lack of consumer trust in the fresh produce sector. For manufacturers and suppliers of snack foods, beverages, meat alternatives and dairy industries, there was a 50 percent lack of trust in those surveyed, and for suppliers of non-dairy alternatives and confectionery, a 49 percent lack of trust. Coffee, tea, alcoholic beverages, pet food suppliers and manufacturers garnered the lowest level of mistrust, with 47 percent, 46 percent, and 42 percent, respectively.
Consumers saw social media as the platform where the most greenwashing occurred, driven by the volume of fake news that more easily transits through social media platforms.
Many consumer concerns drive this mistrust, as while consumers search for products aligned with meeting functional needs and their values, the concern is embedded with consumers' growing sense that brands instinctively put greed and profit above all else. Therefore, the concern is that brands engage with social issues solely for commercial reasons. This has been reinforced by Kantar's research revealing that 42 percent of consumers believe that brands have unnecessarily taken advantage of inflation to raise the prices of products, creating a feedback loop of growing cynicism towards brand intention and values.
It is further reinforced by consumers being put off by vague or technical terms used to market products, leading to a miscommunication, with 57 percent of consumers feeling that it is difficult to discern what products are or aren't ethically 'good'. If consumers can't clearly understand how a brand's product contributes to sustainability or social issues they care about when they buy it, the claims are moot and hold little value.
Long-term commitment is something that consumers search for to differentiate between brands that are authentic in their causes and those who are jumping in to capitalise on the knowledge that consumers care about a product's environmentalism and social responsibility.
This significant level of mistrust has power and impact, putting brands in a difficult spot in trying to engage consumers as the more consumers look for solutions, the more their feelings are reinforced that brands greenwash and social wash, leading to a direct drop and rejection of brands within a consumers consideration.
To inspire trust, Kantar has shared that integrity, identification and inclusion are key. Integrity directly reflects clear commitments and actioning promises and claims. Not only that, but consumers want more aggressive commitments from brands.
Identification is important as consumers are more likely to choose brands they identify with, meaning brands that authentically reflect consumers' values and goals and are communicative about them.
Inclusion naturally follows as consumers want to feel included and have a closeness with brands, which can be generated through pricing strategies and sustainability, as consumers often correlate sustainability products as more expensive, making them a luxury for the few rather than meeting the needs of all. Investing consumers in initiatives is also imperative, which can be achieved through third-party verification validating claims.
