Tribune. The health crisis has reinforced the desire of many consumers to give a political dimension to their purchasing acts. While the consideration of environmental impacts was already largely underway, the singularity of the context gave impetus to the desire to support the local economic fabric by consuming French products or by favoring short circuits and local shops.
At the same time, the French increasingly expect companies to go beyond the supply of competitive goods and services: to ensure that their negative impacts are reduced, or even that they make a positive contribution to the major challenges of our time. .
Recent developments in ad content seem to indicate that brands have taken notice. However, in view of the results of the first edition of the ObSoCo / Trusteam Finance engagement barometer, the least that can be said is that they still have a long way to go to align with consumer expectations.
A purchase criterion
The study confirms the inclination of the French in favor of responsible consumption. For example, for 62% of those questioned, environmental impact is an important purchasing criterion. It is also necessary that the offer exists, as well as the information allowing it to be pointed out to consumers. Brands therefore obviously have a role to play. But only 15% of respondents believe that they make it easier for them to adopt responsible consumption behaviors.
Even more, when asked about the categories of actors to whom the priority falls the responsibility to act in order to solve the environmental, social and societal problems of our time, the people solicited classify the large companies in second position, behind the State, but in front of consumers / citizens. But obviously, in the eyes of the French, the actions of companies do not seem to live up to this responsibility.
Only 15% of respondents believe that companies are sufficiently involved in responding to the ecological crisis or to major social and societal issues. Almost one in four considers that they are not at all. Significant: only 16% of respondents were able to name at least one company they thought “Particularly committed to the general interest and whose action contributes to producing a positive impact on society and the state of the world”.
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