#178 - Sustainability: What the U.S. Can Learn From EMEA

For the past six years, Circana has collaborated with NYU's Stern Center for Sustainable Business to produce a report on sustainability in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) marketplace. While sustainability-marked products in the U.S. continue to gain share, their research shows that shares of sustainability-marked products are much larger in the UK and Germany. This episode dives into the comparison between the U.S., UK, and Germany, offering insights and inspiration for CPG manufacturers and retailers.

Highlights:

• Many categories with low shares of sustainability-marked products in the U.S. have high shares in EMEA. U.S. manufacturers should revisit claims that matter to shoppers.
• A market leader moving to sustainability drives the trend for the category. Failing to do so opens the door for challenger brands, which could erode loyalty and share.
• In Europe, much of the increase in sales of sustainable products is driven by retailers. European retailers are incentivized to adopt sustainable practices, with regulations providing both incentives and penalties.
• European consumers consider the lack of sustainability to be a barrier to trial.