Eco-Conscious Consumer Statistics (2024): Latest Data & Trends

Highlights. Most global consumers (89%) have changed their shopping habits to be more eco-friendly.

80% of worldwide consumers are willing to pay more for eco-friendly products.
The U.S. eco-friendly retail market grows 85.3% faster than the conventional retail market.
177 million American adults are eco-friendly shoppers in 2024, up 7.44% year-over-year (YoY).
Eco-friendly shopping represents 18.2% of American retail spending as of 2024; if trends continue, 22.2% of spending will be eco-friendly in 2032.
American consumers will spend $188 billion on eco-friendly products in 2024; projections indicate eco-friendly retail will be worth $355 billion in 2032.

Pie Chart: U.S. Shoppers Who Would Pay More for Eco-Friendly according to PwC

Eco-Friendly U.S. Consumer Statistics

If trends continue, 85% of consumers will shop eco-friendly this year; 10% of shoppers claim to buy only eco-friendly products.

In 2022, 72% of U.S. shoppers considered a product’s environmental impact to be a crucial purchasing factor.
48% of U.S. consumers planned to avoid buying new items in 2022 in order to be more sustainable.
Eco-friendly consumers prefer to buy online for 75% of retail product categories.
Consumers spent $175 billion on sustainably marketed products in 2023.
Sustainably marketed product sales represented 17.7% of consumer retail spending in 2023.
Consumers paid 27.6% higher prices for eco-friendly products in 2022 (compared to conventional products of similar kind/quality).
In one year, the share of U.S. consumers willing to pay extra for eco-friendly products grew 7.64%.
From 2020 to 2023, consumers increased eco-friendly spending at a 9.63% faster rate than other retail spending.

Bar Graph: Eco-Friendly Share of Retail Market by percentage of the total U.S. retail market from 2020 (16.8) to 2022 (17.3) according to the NYU Stern School of Business with projections from 2023 (17.7) to 2032 (22.2)

Eco-Friendly Consumer Demographics

Eco-friendly spending is up among most demographics in the U.S.

Compared to the average athletic shoe, American men pay 40.1% more for eco-friendly sneakers.
American women pay 20.0% more for eco-friendly footwear.
Men pay 12.2% more for eco-friendly swimwear, and women pay 13.0% more.
While outerwear is the most expensive category for both men and women, each pays less for eco-friendly outerwear; men pay 9.25% less, and women pay 0.81% less.

Double Line Graph: Eco-Friendly Market Value Growth from including eco-friendly products and conventional products from 2019 (9.4% eco-friendly and 13.5% conventional) to 2030 (8.3% eco and 5.2% conventional) according to the NYU Stern School

Eco-Friendly Generation Z Consumers

American shoppers born between 1997 and 2012 (also called “Generation Z” or Gen Z) are the most likely among age groups to prefer eco-friendly products.

72% of Gen Z shoppers prefer organic* groceries.
64% of Gen Z shoppers prefer to buy products with eco-friendly packaging.
63% of Gen Z shoppers prefer products with information on their environmental impact (a.k.a. “carbon footprint”).
Gen Z shoppers are 53.1% more likely to buy based on sustainability instead of product brand name.
By 2027, Gen Z will support 34% of the eco-friendly fashion industry.

*In this report, “organic” refers to natural products with no synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, or other treatments, including animals that are not given hormones or drugs.

Bar Graph: U.S. Eco-Friendly Retail Market in billions from 2020 ($136) to 2022 ($163) according to the Stern School with projections to 2032 ($355)

Eco-Friendly Millennial Consumers

U.S. shoppers born between 1981 and 1996 (“Millennials”) are 16.4% more likely to buy based on sustainability over brand name.

67% of Millennials prefer to buy sustainable brands.
66% of Millennial shoppers prefer organic groceries.
59% of Millennials prefer products with information on their environmental impact (a.k.a. “carbon footprint”).
54% of Millennial shoppers prefer to buy products with eco-friendly packaging.
By 2027, Millennials will make up 41% of the sustainable apparel market.

Bar Graph: American Eco-Friendly Product Expectations by share of U.S. consumers according to Statista

Eco-Friendly Generation X Consumers

American consumers born between 1965 and 1980 (a.k.a. “Generation X” or Gen X) are 10.6% more likely to buy based on sustainability as opposed to brand name.

67% of Gen X consumers prefer to buy sustainable brands.
60% of Gen X shoppers prefer organic* groceries.
41% of Gen X shoppers prefer products with information on their environmental impact (a.k.a. “carbon footprint”).
39% of Gen X shoppers prefer to buy products with eco-friendly packaging.
18% of the eco-friendly fashion market will come from Gen X by 2027.

Pie Chart: 5-Year Change in Sustainable Shopping Habits by share of global consumers including those who have made a Modest Change (36%) to those who shop even less sustainably (1%) according to Statista

Eco-Friendly Consumers Aged 60+

U.S. shoppers born before 1965 (“Baby Boomers” and the “Silent Generation”) will support 6% of the eco-friendly fashion market by 2027.

Shoppers born between 1946 and 1964 (Baby Boomers) are 20.4% more likely to select products based on sustainability over brand name.
56% of Baby Boomer shoppers prefer organic* groceries.
30% of Boomer shoppers prefer to buy products with eco-friendly packaging.
26% of Boomers prefer products with information on their environmental impact (a.k.a. “carbon footprint”).

Bar Chart: Highest Eco-Friendly Price Premiums from bottled juices (107%) to toothpaste (56%) according to the Stern School

Eco-Friendly Consumer Goals

American consumers who shop mostly or exclusively for sustainable products often have specific reasons for “going green.”

29% of eco-friendly U.S. consumers want to improve the environment in general.
23% of consumers who go green do so to reduce manufacturing waste.
22% of eco-friendly consumers want to reduce their carbon footprint.
17% of sustainable shoppers want to improve animal welfare.
7% of eco-friendly consumers admit to social signaling or buying green products for the sake of appearances.

Bar Chart: Lowest Eco-Friendly Price Premiums from paper napkins (-62%) to natural cheese (0%) according to the Stern School

International Eco-Friendly Consumer Statistics

Eco-friendly retail is a growing industry worldwide and not exclusive to first-world countries.

80% of worldwide consumers will pay up to 5% more for sustainable products.
70% of global consumers are willing to pay more for products from local and/or ethical companies.
Between 2019 and 2023, the share of consumers willing to pay more for locally. and/or ethically sourced products grew by up to 66.7%.
40% of North American consumers preferred sustainable brands in 2021.
North Americans are 9.09% less likely than the average global consumer to prefer sustainable brands as of 2021.
50% of consumers increased their eco-friendly shopping over six months in 2021.
Also in 2021, 44% of global consumers preferred to buy brands committed to sustainability.
38.4% of global consumers in 2021 took clothing brands at their word regarding sustainability commitments.
54% of global shoppers valued product affordability over sustainability in 2022.
57% of worldwide Millennial consumers valued affordability over sustainability in 2022.

Bar Chart: Worldwide Eco-Friendly Fashion Market in billions from 2020 ($6.69) to 2032 ($16.8) according to the Business Research Company and Statista

Eco-Friendly Consumer Brand Statistics

Each year, more brands release eco-friendly products and launch sustainability initiatives.

An estimated 70% of new products will be eco-friendly in 2024.
From 2017 to 2021, the share of eco-friendly new products increased 71.4% for a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.4%.
Global corporate sustainability reporting tripled between 2016 and 2022.
46% of global brands invest in post-consumer recyclable programs.
39% of consumer brands invest to improve manufacturing efficiency.

Bar Graph: Increased Corporate Sustainability Reports from 2020 to 2021 from Northern & Western Africa (58.9%) to Europe & North America (15.5%) according to the United Nations

Eco-Friendly Consumer Challenges

Some U.S. consumers want to shop more eco-friendly but certain obstacles prevent them from doing so.

50% of American consumers have declined to purchase an eco-friendly product due to the cost.
23% of consumers want to buy more eco-friendly products but they simply don’t believe brands’ sustainability claims.
16% of U.S. consumers have difficulty finding eco-friendly products to purchase.
15% of consumers find eco-friendly products to be less effective than their non-sustainable counterparts.

Eco-Conscious Consumer Statistics