CHARMING INSIGHTS

With an increasing number of consumers willing to spend more for products they believe to be more sustainable, it can be tempting to focus your marketing and messaging efforts on the most eco-friendly aspects of your products. 

Unfortunately, that is often the first step onto the slippery slope of greenwashing: making unsubstantiated claims that can mislead consumers into believing that a company’s products are more environmentally friendly than they really are. 

It’s no surprise the fashion industry is responsible for a significant portion of annual greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, it’s overwhelming when you consider that retail accounts for nearly 25% of the global GHG emissions. And to be clear: when the Charming team first published this article in 2022, that number was 8%.

While 2020 and 2021 were certainly years of unknowns, one thing is certain: online shopping is here to stay. In 2021, over 46% of consumers reported feeling uncomfortable shopping in-person — and the share of online shoppers has only increased since then. As of this year, 41% of Americans shop online each week. 

I’m going to cut to the chase: US retailers lose an estimated $121 billion per year from shoplifting. Between pilfering pre-teens and kleptomaniac employees, brands consistently lose out on significant sales due to theft.

It’s not news that the retail landscape is now driven by the digital-savvy who seemingly have limitless shopping and buying opportunities at their fingertips. The way they discover, find and receive products has been evolving at a rapid pace in the last decade. 

As consumer behaviors have changed, retailers are left to make the decision: will they change their processes and swim, or keep things as they are and face sinking in 2025 markets? Here are the three major consumer behavior shifts that have happened — and how brands can respond.