The Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD) said retailers committed to sustainability will have to work to convince shoppers they can shop cheaply and sustainably.
According to IGD, 40% of shoppers are forecasted to be in fuel poverty by the end of the year and shoppers will focus more on value for money in the coming months over shopping sustainably.
Talking at ShopTalk Europe, IGD chief executive Susan Barratt said: “Shoppers are having a hard time of it right now. We know from our ShopperVista data that sustainability is an important topic to shoppers, but the cost-of-living crisis is already impacting the trade-offs between affordability and sustainable shopping.”
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“While we can see this shift in behaviours starting to take effect, it’s still early enough in the day for the industry to really engage on the issue and take steps to show shoppers that sustainable shopping doesn’t have to come at a price premium.”
Barratt added that the food industry had to “lead on sustainability” and mobilise its resources to “tackle climate change, reduce food waste, increase food surplus redistribution and develop sustainable packaging systems”.
The news comes after it was revealed that UK diet habits have changed for the healthier as plant-based food choices become more popular.
According to research conducted by Toluna, 49% of respondents said they want to consume food and drink products that are healthier, vegan, and more sustainable.
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