Going round in circularity: Most Brits confused by sustainability language, survey finds

The UK normal public is more and more baffled by the language of sustainability, in keeping with a brand new research. 

The Semantics of Sustainability report, revealed final month by communications company Brands2Life, discovered that greater than half of customers are confused by inexperienced terminology. 

‘Web zero’ and ‘decarbonisation’ had been notably misunderstood, with round 60 per cent of individuals not clear what both time period means.

The researchers additionally discovered that just about half of these surveyed wish to have a greater understanding of sustainability terminology. 

“A possibility exists for companies to assist customers higher perceive sustainability and the way they will play their half,” the authors write. 

Shoppers ignore sustainability claims due to complicated language

The report discovered that 56 per cent of individuals surveyed have both some confusion across the time period ‘sustainability’ or have no idea what it means. 

The phrases ‘eco-friendly’ and ‘recycling’ are additionally laborious to know, whereas 51 per cent of respondents say they’ve by no means heard of ‘circularity’. 

Brits are most involved in regards to the fabrication of sustainability claims within the vogue business, adopted by the automotive sector and the vitality sector, in keeping with the report.

A 3rd of customers admitted to ignoring what manufacturers say as a result of it confuses them.

‘We’re at a important juncture within the UK’s internet zero journey’

Regardless of discovering sustainability language obscure, just below half of the UK respondents say they wish to study extra about what it truly means. 

The report discovered that 68 per cent imagine it’s the function of companies to demystify inexperienced terminology, and three-quarters urge corporations to simplify the language round actions individuals can take to struggle local weather change.

“For too lengthy, the language of science and disclosures have confounded most of the people, however because the local weather emergency intensifies, individuals need companies to do higher,” says Carolyn Irwin, a managing director at Brands2Life.

“Our report reveals that buyers are not looking for manufacturers to step again.”

 Nevertheless, public perception that establishments will make the required adjustments is low: solely 13 per cent of respondents stated they imagine companies will demystify sustainability, whereas simply 22 per cent stated they assume the federal government will present steering on how individuals can lead extra sustainable lives.  

“We’re at a important juncture within the UK’s internet zero journey, with a spread of financial, political and societal headwinds forcing companies to reassess their sustainability agendas,” Irwin says. 

“Companies that provide extra accessible, correct and easy language have a chance to steer and differentiate.”

What does ‘sustainable’ imply?

The survey not solely reveals the necessity for higher schooling surrounding local weather language but in addition highlights how companies can greenwash their actions utilizing little-understood buzzwords.

Listed here are some key phrases and their definitions:

• Sustainable – one thing made in a method that causes little or no injury to the surroundings.

• Inexperienced – adjective describing individuals, organisations or actions that pose as little danger to the surroundings as doable.

• Environmentally-friendly – actions that don’t hurt or are attempting to assist the surroundings.

• Single-use plastics – plastic objects which are used as soon as after which thrown away.

• Web zero – a state the place emissions of carbon dioxide on account of human actions and elimination of those gases are in stability over a given interval.

• Round economic system – an financial system based mostly on the reuse and regeneration of supplies to proceed manufacturing in an environmentally pleasant method.