What you need to know

The need for and effectiveness of sustainable living continues to be a point of debate among American consumers. Just over half of the population believe there is a need to preserve and protect the environment while the remaining segment of consumers look at sustainable practices with indifference or skepticism. Even among the environmentally conscious segment, consumers struggle to live a sustainable lifestyle. They are confused by sustainability claims, unsure of the effectiveness of their sustainable actions and look to brands for simple and convenient sustainable options to help them meet their goals.

Key issues covered in this Report

  • Consumers’ attitudes and personal commitment toward living a sustainable lifestyle

  • The ways in which consumers try to live more sustainably and how this influences their shopping and purchase behaviors

  • The key barriers and challenges to living sustainably among both sustainable consumers and the general population

  • The impact of COVID-19 on consumers’ environmental concerns and current sustainability practices

Definition

For the purposes of this Report, Mintel has used the following definitions:

  • Circular economy: an alternative method of buying and selling goods, intended to extend the life cycle of products in order to minimize the use of finite resources.

  • Upcycle: the process of transforming by-products, waste materials or unwanted products into new materials or products for use.

COVID-19: US context

The consumer data in this Report was fielded in January 2021 and the Report was written in March 2021. As a result, the attitudes and behaviors included reflect a pandemic environment.

The first COVID-19 case was confirmed in the US in January 2020. It was declared a global health pandemic and national emergency in early March 2020. Across the US, various stay-at-home orders were put in place in Spring 2020, and nonessential businesses and school districts closed or shifted to remote operations. The remainder of 2020 saw rolling orders, as states and local governments relaxed and reinforced guidelines according to the spread of the virus in each region.

Vaccine rollout began in December 2020. Based on current estimates of vaccine production and distribution, the US could reach herd immunity, with 70-85% of the population vaccinated, by late Summer to early Fall 2021. Mintel anticipates business operations in the US will remain in a state of flux through 2021 as the vaccine is widely administered.

Back to top