Green Pressure

Showing people that you were environmentally conscious was a way to highlight and reinforce ethical and moral status. Being environmentally aware was expensive and only available to a few people. Sustainability is no longer a bonus, it’s a must In the past, companies with environmental responsibility seals or who were transparent about their production processes, stood out in the market only with these actions and, thus, gained the loyalty of many consumers. But now, that is changing, especially for people born in the 2000s, who are likely to be the largest generation of consumers in 2020. the climatic emergency has been affecting the whole society in the last decades and, with this, several sectors (including design) are looking for alternatives to adapt to this new scenario, in search of building a better world. Thus, we can already conclude that sustainability is one of the branding (and life) trends that has been proving more solid for this year.The search for a more sustainable consumption is reaching a critical moment. When sustainable alternatives are widespread, affordable and just as good or better than the legacy option, then eco-consumption becomes less about the status of opting in, and more about the shame of opting out. That’s why in 2020, millions of consumers will seek out products, services and experiences that help them alleviate rising eco-shame. It’s hard to overstate the significance of this shift. We’ve been tracking the search for a more sustainable consumption for over a decade. The common thread that runs through much of it? The evolution of eco-consumption as a status play. Just take a look at three iconic eco-consumption moments. Way back in 2008 Tesla launch the Roadster, a USD 100,000 electric supercar. Eco-status! In 2016 Adidas partner with Parley for the Oceans to produce a limited-edition line of sneakers made from recycled ocean plastic; only 50 pairs are made. Eco-status! Also in 2016, NYC’s Momofuku Nishi becomes the first restaurant in the world to offer the Impossible Burger. Yet more eco-status! But what has been the story since then? Fast-forward to 2019, and Tesla’s Model 3 is a play for the mainstream driver, and now the third best-selling car in the UK. Adidas made 11 million pairs of ocean plastic sneakers in 2019. And Impossible Burger is available at over 7,000 Burger King outlets across the US. From high-end and rare to affordable and widespread: that’s the eco-consumption journey across the last few years. And when eco-alternatives go mainstream in this way, they're no longer an exciting status currency. The key implication? A shift in the moral calculus for consumers. Because when eco-alternatives are as available, affordable and effective as the legacy option, there's no reason not to choose them. Eco-consumption becomes less about the status of opting in, and more about the shame of opting out. Throw in Extinction Rebellion, the global Strike for Climate movement, and Greta, and you have a tipping point in awareness also fueling this crucial shift. Increasingly widespread shame at air travel – or flygskam in the original Swedish – is now set to diffuse across every B2C industry. It’s a shift with profound implications for consumerism, business, everyone. Implications that you must act upon in 2020.