Global: Are food brands doing enough to minimize their environmental impact?

Food is produced and packaged by farmers and manufacturers all over world. Transforming how our food is sourced, processed and consumed is top of mind for many consumers, with 44% of consumers saying they try to only buy from companies who are socially and environmentally responsible, according to a recent YouGov study.

In recent years, food companies have been under pressure to become more sustainable—from reducing their carbon footprint to adopting better environmental practices across their supply chains. A fair share of consumers is also taking notice according to a new poll from YouGov: 14% of global respondents across 18 markets say food brands are doing enough to minimize their environmental impact.

But two prevailing sentiments around the world show that consumers believe food manufacturers are not doing enough (35%) or that they could be doing even more (34%) to curb their effects on the environment.

North America

Across the US (32%), Mexico (38%) and Canada (38%), a plurality of people say food and grocery brands are not doing enough to minimize their environmental impact.

Mexico stands outs for the share of consumers who say food brands are doing a fair amount but could do more towards sustainability (43%) when compared to smaller shares of those who said the same in Canada (30%) and the US (25%).

Europe

Of all the markets surveyed in the poll, consumers in France were the most likely to say that food brands are not doing enough to minimize their environmental impact (53%) followed by those in Spain (47%). Just of 6% of French consumers say these brands are doing enough and a quarter seem to want more of food manufacturers (25%).

Roughly two in five consumers in Italy (39%), Great Britain (39%) and Poland (39%) say food brands are not doing enough. A third in each of these markets recognize that food brands are doing a fair amount towards being sustainable but say they could do even more.

APAC and MENA

Consumers in Hong Kong (45%) and China (43%) seem to have high expectations of food brands, with more than two in five in each market saying these brands are not doing enough to reduce their impact on the environment.

On the other hand, consumers from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are the least likely of any market surveyed to say food brands are not doing enough (22%) and are the most likely to recognize that food brands are doing enough (34%). Still, close to two in five UAE respondents (38%) demand more from food producers and manufacturers to become more sustainable.

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Methodology

YouGov RealTime Omnibus provides quick survey results from nationally representative or targeted audiences in multiple markets. The data is based on surveys of adults aged 18 and over in 18 markets. All surveys were conducted online in July 2022. Data from each market uses a nationally representative sample apart from Mexico and India, which use urban representative samples, and Indonesia and Hong Kong, which use online representative samples. Learn more about YouGov RealTime Omnibus.