The Sustainability Reality Check: Why Consumers Are Rethinking Sustainability in 2026

While people continue to care deeply about sustainability, rising costs, economic uncertainty and shifting priorities are changing how they engage with it. What does this mean for brands and businesses?

Climate change has become increasingly difficult to ignore.

After another summer marked by extreme heat, wildfires and drought across many parts of the world, sustainability is no longer a distant concern for many consumers. Yet Ipsos research suggests a more nuanced picture is emerging. While concern about climate change remains high, people's ability to prioritise sustainability is increasingly shaped by the pressures of everyday life. 

This is the central finding explored in Ipsos' latest analysis, The Sustainability Reality Check, based on insights from the Ipsos Market Essentials Sustainability Report 2026.

Five trends reshaping the sustainability landscape

1. Climate concern remains high, but urgency is evolving

Consumers continue to recognise climate change as a major global challenge. Recent Ipsos data shows a renewed increase in the number of people who believe action on environmental issues is needed now, following a period of decline.

However, many still view climate change primarily as a global problem rather than a personal one. This distance between awareness and action remains a defining challenge for businesses and policymakers. 

2. Cost of living is changing what sustainable behaviour looks like

Consumers are not abandoning sustainability. Instead, they are becoming more selective.

Sustainable behaviours that also save money, such as reducing energy use or cutting waste, continue to resonate. More expensive or demanding actions are proving harder to maintain in the current economic environment. 

The implication for brands is clear: sustainability initiatives increasingly need to deliver immediate, tangible value.

3. People expect businesses to take greater responsibility

As sustainability challenges become more complex, consumers are increasingly looking to organisations to lead.

Many believe governments and businesses hold greater responsibility for addressing environmental and social challenges than individuals do. At the same time, consumers want evidence of meaningful action rather than promises. 

For organisations, credibility is becoming as important as commitment.

4. Health is emerging as a powerful sustainability driver

One of the most significant shifts identified in the research is the growing connection between sustainability and personal wellbeing.

Consumers increasingly link environmental choices with issues such as healthier products, safer ingredients and improved quality of life. Sustainability is becoming less about future benefits for the planet alone and more about present-day benefits for individuals and families. 

This presents new opportunities for brands to make sustainability more relevant and meaningful.

5. Trust is becoming a competitive advantage

Consumers often struggle to identify which products and services are genuinely sustainable. Confusion, lack of transparency and concerns about value are emerging as major barriers to engagement. 

As a result, trust is increasingly central to sustainability success. Clear communication, transparency and credible evidence are becoming essential requirements for brands seeking to build consumer confidence. 

What this means for businesses

The sustainability conversation is entering a new phase.

Success will depend less on asking consumers to care more about sustainability and more on helping them address the issues they already care about: affordability, health, resilience, convenience and security. 

The organisations best positioned for the future will be those that make sustainable choices easier, more accessible and more relevant to people's daily lives.

• Download the full article below to explore these shifts in greater detail.

For a deeper understanding of the trends shaping sustainability today, discover the Ipsos Market Essentials Sustainability Report 2026: Will Climate Urgency Become an Everyday Reality? The report brings together evidence from 15 markets to examine how consumers are balancing climate concerns with affordability pressures, changing expectations of business and government, and evolving definitions of sustainability. It provides the data, analysis and market context needed to inform ESG, brand, product and communications strategies.