Whose accountability is it anyway?
That’s the query many younger customers in 5 European markets are weighing in on in terms of selling and sporting extra sustainable trend. Trellis knowledge companion GlobeScan lately partnered with European trend platform Zalando to discover how Gen Z and Millennial customers view sustainability in trend.
The findings reveal a transparent message: customers who aspire to purchase or put on sustainable clothes gadgets see sustainable trend as a shared accountability. Whereas most anticipate motion from manufacturers and retailers (77 p.c) and people akin to themselves (72 p.c), additionally they look past these actors to create the proper situations for extra sustainable trend to thrive. Many see essential roles for:
- The European Union (66 p.c)
- Social media platforms (65 p.c)
- Nationwide governments (63 p.c)
- Worldwide organizations (63 p.c)
- Influencers (61 p.c)
- NGOs (60 p.c)
Relating to expectations for manufacturers and retailers, customers need extra sustainable trend to be the default. This contains providing inexpensive, sustainable merchandise (38 p.c), utilizing recycled and lower-impact supplies (33 p.c), decreasing packaging waste (32 p.c) and designing sturdy, repairable gadgets (31 p.c). Supportive applications akin to recycling schemes, resale platforms or rewards for sustainable habits are additionally anticipated.
On the identical time, governments and EU establishments are anticipated to play a extra energetic function. Shoppers need them to cut back taxes (decrease VAT on extra sustainable trend — 42 p.c), fund restore and recycling infrastructure (39 p.c) and educate the general public on sustainable trend decisions (36 p.c). And about one-third of respondents wish to see the introduction of trusted, government-backed eco-labels or product scores.
Social media platforms and influencers are additionally seen as vital enablers, with the potential to assist shift the style narrative from short-lived tendencies and overconsumption to kinds which might be extra round, aware, and enduring.
What this implies
Closing the attitude-behavior hole in additional sustainable trend requires collective, cross-sectoral motion — not simply particular person or brand-level change. Shoppers are able to make extra sustainable trend decisions, however they anticipate significant assist from a broad coalition of actors. From governments to social media platforms and influencers, every has a task to play in eradicating the sensible and structural obstacles that forestall customers from turning their aspirations into motion.
Primarily based on a survey of greater than 5,000 Gen Z and Millennial customers in France, Germany, Italy, Sweden and the UK in February 2025.