Demand by consumers to purchase from companies with ethical sourcing practices is rising fast.
Businesses and supply chain professionals must be ready to rise to the challenge.
As the understanding of how goods are made increases, so does the awareness that these same products have to be made ethically, sustainably and responsibly.
But brands cannot all take the same approach to supply chain ethics. Across demographics we find significant differences in consumer motivation and outlook.
It’s time for businesses to start investigating possibilities – reviewing their own customer base and exploring marketable initiatives.
Ethical shopping is set to become a central concern for many more consumers. The time is now for retailers to drive progress on ethical sourcing – ahead of the coming trend.
OpenText surveyed 27,000 consumers across the world to learn more about their ethical purchasing behaviours.
When shopping after the pandemic do you plan to prioritise buying from companies that make it clear they have ethical sourcing strategies in place?
The time is now for retailers to drive progress on ethical sourcing. Across all markets we’re seeing over 75% of consumers in agreement, with most regions seeing over 30% of consumers making a frequent shift.
To deliver a truly ethical product, you must start at the supply chain. If you don’t have visibility into your supply chain then your company could be at risk.
An ethical supply chain can protect company value and brand reputation while delivering on customer and consumer expectations. Only by investing in the right digital processes can an ethical supply chain be truly delivered and managed for the future.
OpenText Business Network can provide businesses with the capabilities to connect and manage all their data in real-time with clear visibility into partner performance, practices, and certifications – making it easier to establish and operate an ethical supply chain.
Download your copy of our report today and explore the data in full.
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This research was commissioned by OpenText, and conducted by 3Gem in April 2021. 27,000 consumers were anonymously surveyed across the UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, USA, Canada, Brazil, Japan, India, Australia and Singapore. Full research findings can be found here
Brazil
North America
Canada
Spain
UK
Europe
Italy
India
Austrailia
USA
75
%
(Pre-covid)
of consumers in France prioritised buying from companies that made it clear they have ethical sourcing strategies in place.
This was reflected globally, with no region showing less than 70% agreement.
81
%
of consumers in Australia would be willing to compromise convenience (e.g. slower delivery) for a product if they could be sure it had been ethically sourced or produced.
With 84% of consumers globally in agreement.
France
69
%
of consumers in Italy agreed that they’ve become more aware of their waste impact during COVID given the increase in deliveries to their door.
The increase in deliveries during the pandemic led to a rise in awareness of waste impact for consumers. All regions showed over 50% agreement.
71
%
of consumers in Brazil agreed that the global pandemic has made them more mindful of the impact of their purchases.
Across the globe, consumers have become more aware of the social and environmental impact of their purchasing – with all regions showing over 45% agreement.
81
%
of consumers in the US said they planned to prioritise buying from companies that make it clear they have ethical sourcing strategies in place.
Going forward, ethical purchasing won’t just rebound from its lockdown-related restriction; it will accelerate significantly, becoming a central concern for many. All regions showed over 75% agreement.
92.7
%
of consumers in India said ethically sourced or produced products matter to them.
Around the world, clear majorities say that purchasing ethical products matter to them, with a global agreement of 81%.
75
%
of consumers in Spain agree that governments should introduce regulation which holds business more accountable for responsible sourcing.
With 69% of consumers across the globe in agreement.
80
%
of consumers in the UK think online retail sites should clearly mark whether products are ethically sourced where they can.
Across all markets, consumers see retailers as playing a key role in ensuring ethically sourced products are clearly identified
59
%
of Canadian consumers agree that businesses should be held accountable for their suppliers ethical practices
Consumers are more divided on the question of whether businesses can be held accountable for their supplier’s ethical practices, with a 39% spread across countries
77
%
of consumers in Europe claim that purchasing ethically sourced and/or produced products matter to them.
In addition, a significant amount of people have come to this belief within the last year (approximately 20% of consumers across all markets
and regions).
67
%
of consumers in Europe agree that governments should introduce legislation that holds businesses accountable for responsible sourcing.
In comparison to North America, where 60% of consumers agree.
47
%
of consumers in North America agree that restrictions meant they had less choice when shopping, so couldn’t prioritise ethical purchasing.
With Europe shortly behind with 40% of consumers in agreement.
77
%
of consumers in North America would be willing to spend more on a product (e.g. clothing or electronics) if they could be sure it had been ethically sourced or produced.
And over 20% of consumers in nearly all markets and regions claim they would pay 25% more for an ethically-sourced product.
Do you think online retailers should clearly mark whether or not products are ethically sourced
where they can?
Globally, 85% say that retailers should ‘clearly mark whether or not products are ethically-sourced’. Once they understand what kinds of ethical drivers their audiences have, retailers need to be transparent and proactive about meeting those needs.
Do you agree that organisations which cannot monitor where goods have come from and don’t know whether their suppliers are sourcing goods in an ethical way need to rethink their supply chain now to build in ethical controls?
Over 60% of consumers globally agreethat businesses should rethink supply chains that are not suitably transparent.
Singapore
75
%
of consumers in Singapore agree that businesses have a responsibility to ensure their suppliers abide by an ethical code of conduct.
This varies widely by region
(between 66% - 83%) and overall market (between 59% - 83%)
Japan
74
%
of consumers in Japan say that purchasing ethically sourced products matters to them.
Consistent across all markets and regions, all registering over 70% agreement.
Explore the findings in our interactive map below
Ethical Supply Chain
Canada
North America
USA
Brasil
United Kingdom
France
Spain
Europe
Italy
Japan
India
Singapore
Australia
The importance of the Ethical Supply Chain
When shopping after the pandemic do you plan to prioritise buying from companies that make it clear they have ethical sourcing strategies in place?
Do you think online retailers should clearly mark whether or not products are ethically sourced
where they can?
Do you agree that organisations which cannot monitor where goods have come from and don’t know whether their suppliers are sourcing goods in an ethical way need to rethink their supply chain now to build in ethical controls?
When shopping after the pandemic do you plan to prioritise buying from companies that make it clear they have ethical sourcing strategies in place?
Do you think online retailers should clearly mark whether or not products are ethically sourced
where they can?
Do you agree that organization which cannot monitor where goods have come from and don’t know whether their suppliers are sourcing goods in an ethical way need to rethink their supply chain now to build in ethical controls?
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Learn more
81
%
of consumers in the US said they planned to prioritise buying from companies that make it clear they have ethical sourcing strategies in place.
Going forward, ethical purchasing won’t just rebound from its lockdown-related restriction; it will accelerate significantly, becoming a central concern for many. All regions showed over 75% agreement.
47
%
77
%
of consumers in North America agree that restrictions meant they had less choice when shopping, so couldn’t prioritise ethical purchasing.
With Europe shortly behind with 40% of consumers in agreement.
of consumers in North America would be willing to spend more on a product (e.g. clothing or electronics) if they could be sure it had been ethically sourced or produced.
And over 20% of consumers in nearly all markets and regions claim they would pay 25% more for an ethically-sourced product.
59
%
of Canadian consumers agree that businesses should be held accountable for their suppliers ethical practices.
Consumers are more divided on the question of whether businesses can be held accountable for their supplier’s ethical practices, with a 39% spread acro.ss countries.
80
%
of consumers in the UK think online retail sites should clearly mark whether products are ethically sourced where they can.
Across all markets, consumers see retailers as playing a key role in ensuring ethically sourced products are clearly identified.
77
%
of consumers in Europe claim that purchasing ethically sourced and/or produced products matter to them.
In addition, a significant amount of people have come to this belief within the last year (approximately 20% of consumers across all markets and regions).
71
%
of consumers in Brazil agreed that the global pandemic has made them more mindful of the impact of their purchases.
Across the globe, consumers have become more aware of the social and environmental impact of their purchasing – with all regions showing over 45% agreement.
75
%
of consumers in France prioritised buying from companies that made it clear they have ethical sourcing strategies in place.
This was reflected globally, with no region showing less than 70% agreement.
81
%
of consumers in Australia would be willing to compromise convenience (e.g. slower delivery) for a product if they could be sure it had been ethically sourced or produced.
With 84% of consumers globally in agreement.
75
%
of consumers in Japan say that purchasing ethically sourced products matters to them.
Consistent across all markets and regions, all registering over 70% agreement.
75
%
of consumers in Singapore agree that businesses have a responsibility to ensure their suppliers abide by an ethical code of conduct.
This varies widely by region (between 66% - 83%) and country (between 59% - 83%).
92.7
%
of consumers in India said ethically sourced or produced products matter to them.
Around the world, clear majorities say that purchasing ethical products matter to them, with a global agreement of 81%.
69
%
of consumers in Italy agreed that they’ve become more aware of their waste impact during COVID given the increase in deliveries to their door.
The increase in deliveries during the pandemic led to a rise in awareness of waste impact for consumers. All regions showed over 50% agreement.
75
%
of consumers in Spain agree that governments should introduce regulation which holds business more accountable for responsible sourcing.
With 69% of consumers across the globe in agreement.
67
%
of consumers in Europe agree that governments should introduce legislation that holds businesses accountable for responsible sourcing.
IIn comparison to North America, where 60% of consumers agree.
(Pre-Covid)
