When Sustainability Perception Becomes a Barrier to Purchase

Most sustainability communication is designed for people who already buy the brand. Website content, packaging inserts, loyalty program messaging: these channels reach the converted. The question is whether ESG perception is also functioning in the acquisition channel: is it reaching consumers who have never purchased and moving them toward trial?

The UK F&G benchmark provides a direct measure. By comparing SRS scores between consumers who have purchased a brand recently and those who have never purchased it, you can calculate the perception differential. A small differential indicates that the brand’s ESG credentials are understood broadly, by the market, not only by buyers. A large differential indicates that the brand’s sustainability story is contained within its existing customer relationship.

Ecover shows a differential of approximately 8%, meaning non-buyers rate Ecover only marginally lower than buyers on ESG perception. This is the market-level legibility of a brand that has built sustainability into every touchpoint: packaging, refill programs, product formulation, retail visibility.

Reckitt’s Botanical Origin (a newer entrant in the same category) shows a 30% differential. Its sustainability credentials are understood by those who have tried it, but non-buyers do not rate it as a sustainability leader. The implication is that a barrier to trial exists: consumers who have not purchased it do not yet see it as a brand aligned with their ESG values.

The measurement matters because the two situations call for different strategies. If the differential is small, the priority is converting ESG-driven awareness into purchase intent. If the differential is large, the priority is expanding ESG perception beyond the existing buyer base, which is a communications and channel problem, not a programs problem.

The SRS data identifies which situation you are in. Most brands assume they are in the first category. The data frequently says otherwise.