Sustainability in Shopping: Meeting New Consumer Demands

There seems to be a new climate-related concern every week, which explains why most shoppers are extremely concerned about the future of the environment. COVID lockdowns allowed people time to reconsider their lifestyle choices and behaviors, and despite the economic downturn, sustainable products and brands are multiplying in range and in sales. Are we finally reaching the point where sustainability trumps price and convenience?

We explored these topics during three separate Insight Immersions with teams from Simon Property Group and Pacific Retail Capital Partners.

In Chicago, we visited the inspiring folks behind Southside Blooms, an eco-friendly social enterprise turning abandoned inner city lots into gardens and employing at-risk youth; in Tampa Bay, we toured Water Street Tampa a massive new urban development designed with wellness and sustainability in mind; in New York, we learned how DeliverZero is fighting waste by promoting returnable, reusable containers for food delivery; and in Los Angeles, we gawked at Lucid Motors’ stunning new electric car models that are setting new standards for sustainable mobility. Experiencing these ideas in action had a huge impact on our client teams’ personal thinking in regard to sustainability, while inspiring them on a business level as well.