Lidl and Waitrose sharing the top spot in Which?’s sustainability ranking came as a bit of a surprise to many. Two quite different supermarkets with two different targets.

But why the surprise that both are performing well when it comes to sustainability?

For some brands, sustainability is part of their DNA, their reason for being. Consumers know and often choose them for this reason. For many, more established brands, there is a need to shift focus, to do the right thing, to deliver against the commitments they’ve made – COP26 and beyond. Yet not all brands communicate about the changes they are making. Therefore, there is a gap between consumer perception and reality.

A few years ago, there was considerable focus on greenwashing and brands being called out for it – small gestures to create an impact yet little or no effort in other areas. Has this led to a reluctance to communicate what positive changes are being implemented? Do consumers only consider those activities that are more visible?  And if brands aren’t communicating the positive changes they’re making or the initiatives they’re driving, how can we expect consumers to support them and make more sustainable choices?

Research by YouGov/ Deloitte in 2021 showed that 32% of consumers are highly engaged with adopting a more sustainable lifestyle. And the top ways that consumers were adopting a more sustainable lifestyle focused on reducing single use plastic, buying more seasonal produce and buying locally – the more visible aspects of sustainability. Choosing brands that have environmental or ethical values and practices were further down the list.

Whilst plastic continues to dominate the conversation there was a desire for more information on product sourcing and how to dispose of or recycle products. Not having enough information is the third reason for not embracing sustainability. Lack of interest and expense are the top two.

Unfortunately, these ‘out of sight’ activities throughout the supply chain tend to go unnoticed, despite having a bigger environmental impact. These are the activities that consumers need to be told about, so they can then make decisions based on the real impact rather than the more obvious changes like reduced packaging.

Only by communicating changes and initiatives can we shift consumer behaviour and encourage adoption of more sustainable brands.