Close to a half of US shoppers (42%) consider the environmental impact while purchasing food items, according the latest data from management consulting firm Kearney's 2023 Earth Day survey.
The figure represents an 18-percentage-point increase over 2022, indicating that the growth of 'climavorism' from the 'consumer fringe' to the heart of the mass market is becoming a reality.
Earth Day is observed on 22 April every year to demonstrate support for environmental protection.
"Being a climavore isn't as much about what you eat as it is about why you make your food choices. Climavores can be vegans, vegetarians, or omnivores," noted Corey Chafin, partner in Kearney's consumer practice and the study's principal author.
The Earth Day survey continues to explore the growing 'climavore' segment of the consumer market, first presented in Kearney's 2020 report.
This year's survey comprised 1,000 US respondents and focused on consumers' attitudes around the climate impact of food-purchasing choices.
Other Findings
Around 42% of consumers feel that food manufacturers are responsible for faster adoption of environmentally friendly food selections.
When asked to specifically identify what segment of the food value chain would be responsible for these changes, 54% of respondents said it was a problem for food manufacturers to address.
"Consumers expect food companies to take action," said Moritz Breuninger, principal in Kearney's consumer practice and the study's co-author.
"This allows food companies that are already pursuing strategies to meet Scope 3 targets to hit two birds with one stone."
Read More: Earth Day: COVID-19 Has Increased Interest In 'Conscious Consumption'
© 2023 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Dayeeta Das. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
