Published
Apr 20, 2022
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Britons pretend to be more green than they actually are -- survey

Published
Apr 20, 2022

Telling the truth when it comes to how green UK consumers are appears to be a tough call. A nationwide study has found that 57% of British adults confess to being dishonest with friends and family about how sustainably they live their lives.


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The study, by sustainable grocer and delivery firm Milk and More, found that 26% have pretended to have recycled old clothes when in fact they’ve put them out for the bin-men.

The important point here is that consumers clearly want to be greener and that retailers and brands across fashion — as well as beauty — who make it easier for them could be long-term winners from this aspiration. 

Of those who lie about being green, 17% admit they do it all the time, with 19% saying they dread questions about living a green lifestyle during social situations, in case they’re caught out and judged.

Some 31% admit they lie about being green because they know they should be living a more sustainable lifestyle, but don’t have the time to do so.

And 50% have been called out by someone for not being more sustainable, with 14% admitting they've been made to feel ashamed for not being greener on many occasions.

When it comes to the lies people tell, 26% have claimed to be avid recyclers, when in fact the often throw recyclable goods in the normal bin because they can’t be bothered to clean out containers.

Although 37% of Britons said they desperately want to live greener and more sustainable lives, 40% struggle to shop more responsibly while keeping costs down, and a quarter can’t find the time to source local or sustainable produce.

Worryingly, the research also found that up to 59% of the nation are secretly bewildered by terms such as ‘sustainable’, ‘ethical’ and ‘green', with one in 10 admitting they have no idea what they refer to.

And when it comes to the most confusing terms, 43% don’t understand what a ‘circular economy’ is, 31% are bewildered by ‘certified green’, and 30% have no idea what ‘carbon neutral’ means.

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