May 17th, 2024, Lesley Simeon
Environmental awareness is no longer confined to boardrooms – it has filtered down and taken roots in households as well. In this piece, we’re looking into YouGov data to explore the top eco-friendly practices people across 17 international markets expect to undertake in the coming months.
Data from a recent YouGov survey reveals that more than half (53%) of all respondents across markets say they intend to minimize food waste. Half of them (50%) aim at utilizing reusable bags, containers and water bottles, while 46% of respondents plan on conserving water and reducing water waste.
Respondents are least likely (14%) to say they will utilize alternate fuel vehicles like electric vehicles and hybrids.
Eco-conscious behaviors by region
Data from the survey reveals that Hong Kongers (61%) are the most likely across markets to reduce single-use plastic consumption in the coming months and Italians are the most likely to follow suit (50%) in Europe. Americans (28%) are least likely across markets to indicate the same.
Indians account for the largest proportion of those (34%) who are likely to use alternate fuel vehicles, while Danes take the lead within Europe (15%).
More than three in five Mexicans (63%) plan on conserving water in the coming months - the most likely across the markets polled to say so, while Indians (44%) and Indonesians (43%) lead in choosing sustainable and eco-friendly products. In Europe, Italians (37%) are the most likely to opt for eco-friendly products for their household as well, in the coming months.
Canadians (39%) and French (37%) are the most likely across markets to have organic waste composting on their mind.
Hong Kongers lead (63%) in saying they will minimize food waste in the coming months and in Europe Italians (60%) and Spaniards (59%) are most likely to do the same.
Minimizing food waste is the top eco-conscious activity of choice for respondents in the UAE (57%) as well, followed by water conservation (47%).
Public transport or carpooling is another popular eco-conscious behavior among three in five Hong Kongers (at 60%, most likely across markets) and two in five Spaniards (at 41%, the most likely of any market in Europe).
Half of all Indians surveyed (50%) will be looking to plant trees, and 61% of Canadians will be looking at making the best of their water bottles, containers and bags by opting for reusable versions of these products, followed by Brits (58%).
Within the US (where nearly one in ten respondents say climate change and the environment is the most important issue facing the country), Americans are the most likely to opt for reusable bags and containers (44%) ,followed by minimizing food waste (39%). Notably, Americans (15%) are the most likely across markets to say they are not trying to follow an eco-friendly lifestyle. Further, Americans are the least likely across markets to adopt eco-friendly behaviors, withchoosing sustainable and eco-friendly products (23%) and using public transport or carpooling (11%) being among the lowest anticipated actions.
In Great Britian, equal proportions of Brits planning to use reusable containers (58%) and cut down on food waste (58%). YouGov data also shows that 43% of Britons say environmental sustainability affects their decisions a fair amount when it comes to general household purchases.
When it comes to investing in eco-friendly home improvements like solar panels (which isn’t one of the more popular eco-conscious behaviors consumers might implement this year), Indians lead (39%) overall, while Italians (17%) lead within Europe.
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Methodology: YouGov Surveys: Serviced provide quick survey results from nationally representative or targeted audiences in multiple markets. The data is based on surveys of adults aged 18+ years in 17 markets with sample sizes varying between 500 and 2040 for each market. All surveys were conducted online in January 2024. 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 Surveys: Serviced.
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