by Rita Oliveira, Founder and CEO of Shift Your Branding Agency<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sustainability has become a social consensus. But not necessarily a purchase driver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Over the past decade, it has been treated as a trend, a purpose and, more recently, as an ethical imperative. In public discourse, it has become almost a marker of civilisation. Appearing indifferent to this topic is now socially unacceptable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yet, between moral value and economic behaviour, there is a gap that is redefining the role of sustainability in brands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The data reveals a clear tension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The PwC\u2019s Voice of the Consumer Survey 2024 indicates that around 80% of consumers claim they are willing to pay more for sustainable products. At first glance, this suggests that sustainability remains a strong decision driver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, studies such as McKinsey\u2019s State of the Consumer 2024 show that, across several European markets and in the United States, this willingness has declined compared to the previous year \u2014 particularly among younger consumers, who prioritise price and convenience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This does not mean that consumers no longer care about the environment. It means that sustainability is now a widely shared moral value that still does not justify higher prices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a context of increasing economic pressure, the gap between what people say they value and what actually drives their decisions has become more evident. The so-called intention\u2013behaviour gap is no longer a theoretical concept. It is a market reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the Business-to-Consumer (B2C) market, sustainability manifests differently depending on the context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In segments associated with higher purchasing power \u2014 particularly in the premium space \u2014 it functions as symbolic capital. It signals identity, belonging and cultural positioning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In mass consumption, however, the logic changes. Sustainability shifts from an aspirational differentiator to a basic requirement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The absence of practices such as recyclable packaging, reduced plastic use or environmental commitments penalises the brand. But their presence rarely generates additional value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In these cases, sustainability functions as a reputational hygiene factor: it does not distinguish those who adopt it, but exposes those who ignore it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the Business-to-Business (B2B) market, the dynamic is more structural.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the European Union, the introduction of directives such as the CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive) and the CSDDD (Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive) is transforming how businesses operate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sustainability is no longer optional. It has become a legal, financial and reputational requirement. Investor pressure around ESG metrics reinforces this shift.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For SMEs working with large organisations, even when they are not directly subject to these directives, the pressure is indirect but real.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
ESG questionnaires, tender requirements, environmental audits and contractual clauses have become common across sectors such as energy, automotive, manufacturing, construction and logistics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In these contexts, sustainability acts as a true commercial passport for access to the value chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What emerges from this scenario is a clear evolution of the concept.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In public discourse, sustainability remains a dominant moral value.\nIn premium consumption, it can generate symbolic capital and margin.\nIn mass consumption, it has become a baseline requirement.\nIn B2B, it is regulatory and economic infrastructure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sustainability is no longer a trend or merely a purpose.
It is a structural pressure that is reshaping the rules of the market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this context, the role of branding changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It moves from being aspirational to becoming structural.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
More than communicating values, brands must now ensure that their positioning reflects the real \u2014 regulatory, financial and competitive \u2014 requirements that determine access to the market and the value chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sustainability no longer distinguishes those who communicate it best.\nIt distinguishes those who are prepared to operate with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And in that context, branding stops being narrative.
It becomes structure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Article originally published in the Portuguese online magazine Briefing.<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Sustainability has become a social consensus. But not necessarily a purchase driver.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9405,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"class_list":["post-9445","blog-post","type-blog-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shiftyouragency.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog-post\/9445","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shiftyouragency.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog-post"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shiftyouragency.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/blog-post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shiftyouragency.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.shiftyouragency.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog-post\/9445\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9454,"href":"https:\/\/www.shiftyouragency.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog-post\/9445\/revisions\/9454"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shiftyouragency.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9405"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shiftyouragency.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9445"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}