US e-commerce to grow 50% as sustainable shopping becomes more popular

On April 19, Blue Yonder released the results of the 2022 U.S. Consumer Sustainability Survey, which is related to consumers' sustainable shopping habits and reveals consumers' shopping preferences.

According to survey data, retail e-commerce sales are expected to grow by 50% in the next four years . In order to limit the impact of online shopping on the environment, consumers are willing to spend more money on sustainable packaging, accept recycling, and even pay to qualify for expedited delivery to contribute to sustainable shopping.

Consumers are willing to contribute to sustainable shopping

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on consumers’ sustainable shopping habits, with nearly half of consumers saying their interest in sustainable shopping has increased since the pandemic.

Edward Wong, head of Blue Yonder's global retail division , said that during the epidemic, in order to avoid infection, physical stores abandoned the use of reusable shopping bags or increased online delivery services. These changes prompted consumers to change their shopping habits accordingly.

Compared to other industries, the retail industry has performed well during the pandemic, and online retailers have developed rapidly. As a result, sustainability has once again become the focus of attention, and more and more consumers are willing to contribute their own efforts to promote the sustainable development of the earth, such as adopting sustainable shopping habits, which include paying more for sustainable packaging, accepting recycling, and paying to qualify for expedited delivery .

The survey also found that 86% of consumers are willing to delay the delivery of online purchases to improve the sustainability of their shopping.

Social media influences consumers’ sustainable shopping frequency

The survey shows that social media influences the frequency of sustainable shopping for more than half of consumers .

For those influenced by social media, Facebook and Instagram had the biggest impact . Facebook was the most popular platform for those aged 45 and over, while Instagram was the most popular platform for those aged 18-44.

Surprisingly, TikTok and Snapchat didn’t have as much of an impact on older consumers , with both having greater appeal to respondents aged 18-29.

Retail businesses are in a unique position to make decisions that take into account not only profits but also the environment and humanity. Businesses need to make greater use of powerful new technologies , such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) , to predict demand and enable themselves to operate sustainably through less waste, more efficient production, smarter shipping strategies and reduced resource consumption .

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