A partner of 
Making more deliberate purchasing decisions is a key component of conscious consumerism, frequently with the intention of spending less and giving sustainability first priority. It can take the shape of buying more robust items, fair trade goods, and supporting businesses that uphold higher ethical standards.
But where is the need to practice conscious shopping? The way that we live and consume means that by 2050, we will need three planets to meet our needs. Imagine!! One-third of the food produced throughout the world ends up in the trash. Every year, we throw away more than 2 billion tons of waste. If all this waste were put on trucks, it would go around the world 24 times.
This huge amount of waste is partly because 99 per cent of the things we buy are trashed within 6 months. The situation is extreme and needs to change, but this can only happen with cumulative conscious efforts. How? Let me properly introduce you to conscious consumerism.
Introduction to Conscious Consumerism
Conscious consumerism is a way of life that involves two major but simple aspects. The first starts with consuming less, and the second is paying attention to whether what we consume is sustainable and environmentally friendly. This takes into account every action and follows a cradle-to-grave approach, from raw materials to the dumping of the product once it has been fully utilised.
Conscious consumerism rests on several principles: Ethical practices and social responsibility mean avoiding companies and products that use child labour, sweatshops, or exploitation. Other important principles are sustainable production and health impacts. These have become essential today, as practices such as fast fashion and disposable single-use items have more harmful impacts on our health and overall ecosystem than we realise.
Because of its importance and high impact, the United Nations has placed conscious consumerism at the forefront of its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns is Goal 12 of Agenda 2030, a guide for the transition towards a more supportive and greener global economy.
Sustainability and Conscious Consumerism
Conscious consumption is not a one-day practice; it needs to be incorporated into our daily habits to generate the desired effect, and many people have already successfully implemented it. To give you the context and data:
- 78% of consumers feel that sustainability is important.
- 55% of consumers are happy even after paying more when buying from eco-friendly brands.
- 84% of consumers state that less environmental output from a brand makes them boycott it.
- 75% of eco-friendly products sell better online than in-store ones.
Impact of Conscious Consumerism
But the question remains. Does conscious consumerism have a real impact on the environment, labour protection and our lives in general, or is it just a way for individuals and communities to feel better and bond with each other?
We believe that ethical consumption does have a positive impact. Current generations are trying to mitigate the negative impacts of their predecessors but forget damage control; it’s the Green Revolution!
Across the world, 37% of consumers are choosing sustainable products, even if they are more expensive than traditional ones. In Colombia and Mexico, half of the population buys eco-friendly products, and Spain ranks third among the countries that mostly buy locally, right behind Portugal and Ireland.
India is also experiencing a great consumer shift towards sustainability and the environment, urging brands to rethink their strategies. According to the Organic India Market Report (2022), the market size of organic food is set to reach Rs 64 billion by 2025.
Challenges in Becoming a Greener Consumer
How do I say this? Changing habits is hard and time-consuming, particularly at the beginning. Let’s keep it real: sustainable living is inaccessible and costly for many people.
- Reusable products are not always convenient.
- Some sustainable practices are socially uncomfortable and can isolate you from your peers.
- Eco-friendly products can be really heavy on your pockets.
- It is often hard and time-consuming to find a genuinely conscious and eco-friendly brand for everything that you need…
Greenwashing messaging from big companies makes these challenges even more frustrating. We saw a prime example of this when a famous German car-making company was at the centre of a false eco-claim scandal. Also known as Dieselgate or Emissionsgate, the case began unveiling in September 2015, when they falsely declared that their cars had low carbon emissions, only to find out later that they were practising substandard emission tests.
Greenwashing preys on our desire to make a difference. It makes eco-conscious choices seem simpler and more affordable, but when these promises fall flat, they discourage people from continuing their efforts. Despite these challenges, it’s important to remember that even small changes make a difference. We can be more critical of corporate claims and support genuinely transparent and sustainable businesses.
This is why greater transparency at the reporting level is needed. Clear, accurate, and complete information should be available to the public. Are the raw materials environmentally friendly? Are they providing good occupational health and safety measures to their workers? Now is the time when big firms will have to listen to what their consumers demand.
Tips to Become a Conscious Consumer
I am certain that you would like to be a more conscious consumer, but sometimes, it is not easy to know where to start. So, let me guide you through some steps:
- Start by buying and consuming less. Simply ask yourself, “Do I need this?” before you get your wallet out and buy something you don’t need.
- Take care of your belongings so that they are durable.
- Purchase high-quality goods that will withstand the test of time.
- Repair and reuse things instead of throwing them away without a second thought. Landfills are full of perfectly good items. If you have no use for them, consider donating them.
- Buy locally to reduce your carbon footprint (as a result of transportation and production).
- Buy from eco-conscious and sustainable brands. Keep reading for more details on this point.
How to Identify Sustainable Products and Companies
A good sustainable brand does more than just make ecologically conscious products. Such brands look at their whole wing-to-wing processes and supply chain and try to minimise their impact on the planet. They often follow a circular approach towards minimal waste.
For example, they try to use reusable, recyclable, compostable, natural and non-toxic materials to reduce pollution and landfill waste. They utilise minimal, recycled, recyclable or zero-waste packaging. They can substantiate their claims with certifications like Eco Label, issued by an independent third party. They are extremely transparent and put ethics first. As a result of their good business practices, when you look for these companies online, you will find a community of loyal followers and consumers.
At Green Cloud Nine, we independently research the brands and products that we recommend to our audience. We review their certificates and their practices, disclosing everything that we find in an attempt to make sustainable choices easier for you.
Green Cloud Nine
A Case Study of a Mainstream Company Working to Become Eco-Conscious
In Europe, Patagonia is a brand well-known for its eco-friendly practices. They claim that 87% of their products are made from recycled materials and continuously try to improve.
Patagonia is widely recognised as a leader in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices, inspiring the work of many other fashion brands across the globe. By 2025, they aim to eliminate virgin petroleum material in their products. Patagonia is also reducing its reliance on fossil fuels by creating products with recycled polyester, such as Better Sweater jackets.
A Big Plus: Can Sustainability Benefit Companies?
A 2021 study concluded that 85% of people have re-shifted their consumer behaviour towards being more sustainable in the past five years. This change will impact every company, whether or not they are implementing sustainable practices. Ethical shopping has the power to disrupt the consumerist society. The trend is shifting rapidly, including growing investments in companies that prioritise social responsibility. If companies show their potential customers that they are following ethical, socially responsible, and environmentally friendly practices, then they have a higher chance of winning the race.
Future Trends: The Shift in Consumer Behaviour
As shown by Google Trends, searches for ‘second-hand‘ and ‘used’ have skyrocketed by over 100% since 2018. This shows that people are trying to consume less and are looking for budget-friendly, conscious, and sustainable choices. Studies reveal that more and more people are interested in organic food and reusable electronic products and happily support regenerative agricultural practices.
This is a lifestyle that fulfils people’s lives and gives them a purpose. Start today; even if you begin with a small action, it can certainly affect your life and environment.
This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase something through one of these third-party sites, we may earn a small commission at NO ADDITIONAL cost to you. These commissions are a necessary source of income to cover our costs, allowing us to continue bringing relevant information to all our users. Learn more here.
