The higher price prevents Romanians from buying sustainable products, says the study that analyzes “The Ethical Consumer in Romania in 2024“.
The robot portrait of the ethical consumer from Romania – Photo Shutterstock
More precisely, six out of ten Romanians (58%) do not use sustainable products because they are more expensive, according to the research carried out by MKOR, called “The Ethical Consumer in Romania in 2024“.
In fact, 35% of respondents stated that they do not trust the authenticity of eco-labels, while 38% of buyers are aware of the impact they have on the environment through their consumption habits, the study shows.
More than half of Romanians, 56%, say they are undecided about buying more environmentally friendly products, while 6% are not interested in sustainability and ethics.
On the other hand, four out of ten undecided consumers contribute to protecting the environment through daily actions and have the potential to become ethical consumers through education campaigns and programs to encourage environmental protection.
Romanians avoid eco products also due to distrust in companies' sustainability statements, lack of information about the impact and origin of products, lack of time to look for sustainable alternatives.
Portrait of the Romanian ethical consumer: Millennial mothers, from the city
The research captures the robot-portrait of the ethical consumer in Romania, in 2024. Women who are part of the Millennials generation, live in the urban environment, have higher education, have minor children and medium or low incomes are the representatives of this type of consumer, according to the study.
“The Ethical Consumer is a person who makes purchasing decisions based on their social, ecological and moral impact. This type of consumer is aware of the effects their purchases can have on the environment. The Ethical Consumer seeks to support products and services that meet high standards of sustainability, social justice and business ethics. Through their purchasing and consumption choices, the Ethical Consumer expresses their concern for global well-being and assumes responsibility for contributing to a fairer and more sustainable way of life.”, says Cori Cimpoca, Founder of MKOR.
Consumers of this kind pay attention to what they eat and buy, but also what means of transport they use or how they manage their resources.
The good news is that 70% of those interviewed declare that they avoid food waste. And over 40% of respondents are interested in health and well-being benefits when purchasing products and services, while 39% are attentive to aspects related to sustainability and environmental responsibility. Moreover, 45% of ethical consumers buy less clothes and avoid excessive consumption of fashion.
Food, cosmetics and personal care products, coffee and beverages are the most sought after sustainable product categories.
One thousand people, nationally representative by gender, age and geographical distribution, participated in the study conducted in November 2023.
