Consumers Expect Sustainable Options, Willing to Pay More for Them: Report

Consumers want sustainable options in the fuel and convenience retail industry and, increasingly, they expect those options to be available and are willing to pay more for them, according to the new edition of the “Sustainability, EV, and Convenience Retail Survey Report” by PDI Technologies. 

Eighty percent of American consumers surveyed said they are either very or somewhat concerned about the environmental impact of their retail purchases. This marks a substantial increase from previous years – 68 percent in 2023 and 66 percent in 2022. 

This concern extends to the fuel pump – 65 percent of consumers said they are willing to pay more at gas stations if they offered carbon offsetting. At convenience stores, 38 percent believe c-stores should be resource-efficient. Thirty-four percent said consumer packaged goods companies should use sustainable packaging. 

“The data is clear,” said Maryann Michela, Senior Director, PDI Technologies. “Between these statistics and the regulatory conversations that are happening in our industry, there are more compelling reasons than ever for retailers and brands to understand and act upon consumer sentiment toward sustainable businesses. This movement reaches beyond the US, with consumer sentiment and regulations more prevalent in regions like EMEA and others.”