As many as 63% of shoppers are willing to pay more for more sustainable products. This enthusiasm is particularly strong among Millennials and Generation Z customers, who are becoming an increasingly active purchasing force in e-commerce. The main reason for this trend is the desire to reduce carbon footprint and the belief that sustainability should be part of everyday life.
In response to the ecological needs of customers, Żabka has introduced water refillomats to its stores, i.e. devices that allow water to be refilled in reusable bottles, eliminating the need to use disposable packaging.
Ecological solutions in e-commerce
– This is a great response to a specific problem, which is the high consumption of plastic by consumers. This solution is in line with the trend of ecological initiatives, which are also gaining importance in the e-commerce industry. Online stores that offer sustainable solutions for their customers – for example, ecological household chemicals or cosmetics – already operate on the Shoper platform. – comments Nina Pankiewicz, ESG Specialist at Shoper. – Sellers must also remember how important it is to take into account other practices, such as optimizing logistics processes, minimizing waste or choosing sustainable sources of raw materials. It is this comprehensive approach that can have a positive impact on the environment. – she adds.
In the face of growing ecological awareness among consumers, e-commerce must adapt to new requirements related to sustainable development. Customers increasingly expect ecological practices from companies and abandon purchases if a given store's operations do not meet eco-standards. According to the "E-Commerce in Poland 2023" report, published by Gemius, as many as 42% of e-commerce customers believe that the form of delivery is important for the environment. For 67% of them, using ecological raw materials is important, and 58% of people appreciate the possibility of using reusable packaging when returning goods.
Recycled packaging, virtual fitting rooms or the ability to order products for parcel machines
Sellers running online stores on the Shoper platform offer their customers such eco-solutions as: recycled packaging, virtual fitting rooms or the possibility of ordering products for parcel machines. In this way, store owners respond to the needs and can meet the challenges that climate change brings to all e-commerce.
However, in addition to pro-ecological actions, the seller can also take other steps – for example, educating their customers. Here, communication between the seller and the consumer is important.
– Educating e-commerce customers about environmental protection is just as important as implementing sustainable practices. Companies should actively instruct customers on how to sort and dispose of empty packaging from ordered products. Such activities increase ecological awareness and help to actually increase the positive impact on the environment, as well as build the image of the online store as a responsible and pro-ecological brand – says Nina Pankiewicz.
