Despite increased awareness around sustainable practices, affordability is still a major hurdle for consumers and corporations. In retail channels, concerns about inflation and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis continuously influence purchase decisions. According to Euromonitor’s Voice of the Consumer: Sustainability Survey, fielded in January and February 2025, nearly 40% of global consumers see the high price relative to non-sustainable products as a barrier to sustainable purchases.
This also resonates within corporations, as the high cost of implementing sustainable solutions was cited as a major obstacle by 32% of global professionals in Euromonitor’s Voice of the Industry Survey 2025. Businesses are facing significant challenges, such as geopolitical instabilities and supply chain disruptions, often pushing sustainability down the priority list – even though many professionals recognise climate change’s growing impact on supply chains, environmental regulations and consumer behaviour. This makes it essential for companies to integrate sustainability into core strategies, not only to improve value proposition but as a driver of long-term competitiveness.
Read our article, Why Sustainable Value Creation Matters in Today’s Volatile Market, for more analysis on sustainable strategies for product value proposition.
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