Survey reveals environmental concerns are a low priority when buying clothes
- Fewer than one in four UK adults (23%) have cited concern for the environment as the main reason why they would buy fewer clothes. And the majority of us (57%) own new clothes we have never worn
- Most people gave saving money (54%) and getting the most value out of existing clothes (43%) as the main reasons they would abstain from new purchases. Only 11% said a preference for ‘pre-loved’ clothing kept them from entering the fast fashion cycle.
- People are most likely to donate their clothes when they no longer wear them, with over two thirds selecting this option (68%). A third (34%) recycle them, and approximately a quarter give them to friends or family (24%) or sell them (23%). Just one in ten (11%) don’t do anything with them.
- Women are more likely than men to donate clothes they no longer wear (74% vs. 62%), whereas men are more likely to recycle them (40% vs. 29%)
- Almost twice as many people say they have a preference for mending clothes (40%) as opposed to a preference for buying new clothes (22%).
Date Published: 15/02/2022
Categories: Public and communities | Retail & Consumer | Social | UK
Client: Tearfund
Methodology
Savanta ComRes interviewed 2,314 UK adults aged 18+ online from 28-30 January 2022. Data were weighted to be representative of population by age, gender, region, and socio-economic characteristics such as social grade. Savanta ComRes is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules. Full tables at www.comresglobal.com.