French consumers are concerned about the environment, but ecology is not a priority in their purchases, as a BCG study shows. And it seems that the French are not the best students in Europe.
The study carried out in July by the Boston Consulting Group entitled European Consumer Sentiment Report analyzed the main trends of Danish, French, German, Swedish and English consumers.
“French sustainability”
The French have their own way of adopting sustainable behaviors. Thus, the study shows that in the clothing sector, 29% of French people surveyed said they bought less clothing. Danes recycle their used clothes (30%) while Germans repair them (27%).
Furthermore, it seems that the French are more willing than other countries, such as Germany or England, to compromise on other purchasing criteria to buy sustainable products. Thus, criteria such as recommendations, originality or loyalty programs are secondary to sustainability. The study specifies that sustainable purchases will focus mainly on care items (22%) or home cleaning items made without chemicals (20%).
But the priority given to organic products has its limits. Only 11% of French consumers said they were willing to pay more for sustainable products, compared to 19% in all European countries surveyed. A good illustration of the gap between values and actions.
Durability is not the main purchasing criterion.
Another limitation pointed out by the study is that durability is not the main purchasing criterion, neither in France nor in Europe. What takes priority are still traditional choice factors, such as good value for money, promotions or product functionality.
These results should not discourage companies because it seems that brands’ efforts to improve the sustainability of their products are paying off. According to a 2023 Forrester study, titled “Retail Benchmark Recontact Survey”, 38% of French people who shop online are highly influenced by companies that limit their waste. A third of online consumers would even be willing to buy from an environmentally friendly brand instead of a brand with which they already have habits.
The French are reducing their spending more than Europeans, particularly on clothing and snacks.
Another French specificity shown in this study is that if the five countries surveyed declare to have reduced their spending in 2024, this trend is accentuated in France. While Europeans say they have reduced their clothing purchases by 20%, the figure reaches 38% among the French. The trend is the same when it comes to snacks (30% less spending for the French, 15% for the other countries surveyed in Europe according to The Echoes).
Source: BFM TV
