How British consumers feel about sustainability: Top UK cities rankedHow British consumers feel about sustainability: Top UK cities ranked

A new survey into consumer understanding and feelings about climate change has found that more than 8 in 10 Brits admit they could do more to positively impact the environment.

Commissioned by anti-food waste app Too Good To Go, the survey also revealed how the UK’s top cities ranked when it comes to making sustainable lifestyle choices.

Cities ranked in the UK where residents are willing to make or keep making behaviour changes to positively impact the environment:

1. Glasgow (84%)

2. Sheffield (84%)

3. Norwich (84%)

4. Liverpool (84%)

5. Bristol (83%)

6. Newcastle (79%)

7. Belfast (77%)

8. Southampton (77%)

9. Leeds (76%)

10. Manchester (76%)

11. Plymouth (76%)

12. Birmingham (74%)

13. Brighton (73%)

14. Cardiff (73%)

15. London (72%)

16. Nottingham (71%)

17. Edinburgh (68%)

While these findings show that the majority of Brits’ are willing to act sustainably, this is not translating into action. The survey found that there are barriers that are currently stopping consumers from taking greater action, with 80% of those surveys admitting they could do more to positively impact the environment

When looking at what is holding consumers back from doing more, the study found that consumers overwhelmingly say it is not easy to live sustainably. Only 43% of Sheffield residents think it is easy to live sustainably - the most anywhere in the UK - and this figure falls to just a quarter in Nottingham.

Cities ranked in the UK where residents find it easy to live sustainably:

1. Sheffield (43%)

2. Leeds ( 41%)

3. Belfast (40%)

4. Glasgow (39%)

5. Bristol (38%)

6. London (37%)

7. Manchester (36%)

8. Cardiff (34%)

9. Liverpool (34%)

10. Birmingham (33%)

11. Southampton (33%)

12. Norwich (32%)

13. Edinburgh (31%)

14. Newcastle (31%)

15. Brighton (26%)

16. Plymouth (26%)

17. Nottingham (25%)

The survey also explored exactly what is making living sustainably difficult in the UK and found that key factors include: the premium cost of sustainable living (31% of respondents said it is too expensive); it takes too much time and effort (25%) and consumers do not not know what else they can do (25%).

Commenting on the findings, Jamie Crummie, co-founder of Too Good To Go, said: “As these results show, the UK public is willing and wanting to do more to positively impact the environment. But they also show that society doesn’t make that easy for them. As it stands, consumers are having to sacrifice too much of their time, money and energy to seek out sustainable options, and these are things that are being stretched thin as it is. If we are to pave the way for a greener future, it is important that everyone has easy and accessible actions they can take to tackle climate change. Small actions can add up to create a big impact after all.”

For more information on Too Good To Go visit www.toogoodtogo.co.uk

ENDS

Press enquiries: press@toogoodtogo.co.uk

Notes to Editors

Survey of 2,005 nationally representative UK consumers conducted by Markettiers on behalf of Too Good To Go between 25.10.21 and 27.10.21

ABOUT TOO GOOD TO GO

Too Good To Go has a simple mission: to make sure all food gets eaten, not wasted.

In 2016, a group of entrepreneurs witnessed restaurant staff throwing away fresh food. The food’s only problem? It hadn’t sold in time, and no one was around to take it off the restaurant’s hands. The group pioneered a seamless solution: an app that lists businesses’ unsold food so local diners can find, buy and enjoy it.

Now, thousands of Magic Bags are rescued from businesses such as supermarkets, restaurants, and bakeries every day. The success of the app powers Too Good To Go’s wider efforts to drive a food waste movement, working with schools, industries and governments to build a planet-friendly food system.

Too Good To Go by numbers:

17 countries

100 million meals saved globally

47 million app installs globally

125,000 partner stores globally

2020 became a registered B-Corp

Find out more at www.toogoodtogo.co.uk, or visit us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.