A recent study by the German Environment Agency (UBA), conducted by ConPolicy, reveals sobering results: sustainability continues to play only a minor role in everyday digital consumption. Instead, price as well as simple and fast availability dominate purchasing decisions. Sustainable options are usually only considered if consumers are already motivated, if these are made prominently visible in the purchasing process, or if money can be saved.
“Those who shop online usually find the cheapest product – but all too rarely the most sustainable one. That needs to change if we want to make consumption future-proof,” says UBA President Dirk Messner. “The operators of shopping platforms must take responsibility here by making sustainable alternatives more visible.”
Why sustainable options are rarely chosen
- Strong incentive for new purchases: Platforms promote new purchases, impulse buying, or continued shopping – sustainable products and the circular economy are left out.
- Sustainability information is generally available, but on popular sites along the users’ click paths (customer journey) it is not sufficiently visible, credible and/or transparent. Credible sites, on the other hand, often have only limited reach.
- Lack of search aids: Filter and search functions for product standards, repairability or product lifespan are missing or very well hidden. This significantly increases the research effort required.
- Circular alternatives are rarely recommended: Second-hand purchases, repairs or sharing options are seldom visible or prominently positioned.
- Structural barriers to repairs and second-hand purchases: Repairs are often comparatively expensive, difficult to access and hard to find. Uncertainty regarding the condition, quality and hygiene reduces trust in second-hand goods. Additionally, due to partially limited buyer protection and return rights—especially in private sales—the risk of making a poor purchase appears higher than when buying new.
How digital platforms can promote sustainable consumption
An important lever for sustainable purchasing decisions is to anchor sustainability more firmly in platform structures. Algorithmic recommendation systems should, for example, systematically take sustainability criteria into account. Such a requirement could, for instance, be introduced by policymakers through the EU AI Act.
It is particularly important for consumers to receive all relevant information directly and without time-consuming additional research. Therefore, online shops and comparison portals should offer clear filtering and comparison options for sustainability aspects – for example, regarding material origin, energy efficiency, repairability or product lifespan, based on legally sound standards.
Trust in, and accessibility to, second-hand markets should also be strengthened. Key levers for this are uniform quality standards for the trade in refurbished products and transparent return policies, which can increase trust in such products. In addition, second-hand offers should be more strongly integrated into existing online shops as well as into public procurement guidelines.
Repairs are a key way of keeping products in circulation and extending their lifespan. Despite the fundamental wish of many consumers to repair, there are often numerous barriers to opting for repair. The study recommends measures such as improving the information landscape, providing financial incentives and integrating repair services into online shops.
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