Over 70% of grocery shoppers across the world say they are willing to make changes to their lifestyle to be more sustainable, according to a global sustainability survey published by Bord Bia.
The Origin Green Global Sustainability Survey was undertaken here in Ireland and in 12 of Ireland’s top export markets, to understand attitudes to sustainability and emerging trends.
The research shows that emissions were a key topic for agenda setters.
It shows that larger retailers are setting science based or net-zero targets, putting pressure on suppliers to reduce emissions and presenting sustainable suppliers with an opportunity to stand out.
Two thirds of trade buyers globally say "having the lowest possible greenhouse gas emissions/carbon footprint" is important when choosing a supplier and sustainability is becoming a key purchasing criteria for trade buyers, along with quality, price and supply.
However, consumers are less focused on emissions, as it is currently more difficult to link the carbon footprint to the product on-shelf.
Similarly, while agenda setters are very heavily focused on biodiversity, the research suggests that this issue is not yet on the radar for consumers in terms of making purchasing decisions.
The findings show that consumers view food waste and packaging as the most important sustainability issues.
77% indicate that they have made an effort to buy products with less packaging, and 87% indicate that they have made an attempt to reduce food waste in the last 12 months.
For beef and dairy consumers, the data shows that high animal welfare standards and grass-fed are some of the most important sustainability attributes globally that can command a premium.
Almost 23% of beef consumers globally say they are willing to pay a premium for grass-fed beef.
Tara McCarthy, CEO of Bord Bia said the survey aims to help the industry to understand how customers and consumers view sustainability, how they can communicate their actions and values in a more impactful way and what areas they need to improve on in the years ahead.
"In many areas of sustainability, Ireland already has a strong competitive advantage, for example grass-fed production of beef and dairy.
"In others, such as food waste, this research gives us the opportunity to highlight to our members how that is a key touchstone for consumers in certain key markets and the value of meeting these expectations," she said.
The research found that while the sustainability agenda is accelerating, it is happening at a different pace in different countries and each market is focusing on different aspects.
In Western European markets, the research shows that there is a greater focus on local food, and animal welfare is closely associated with sustainability.
Meanwhile, in Asian markets, where there is more of a concern over consistent, nutritious food supply, the focus in on quality and safety assurance.
