Sustainability, conscious choices and climate anxiety among pregnant and new parents

What is the attitude towards second-hand shopping before and after having a baby? Does climate anxiety increase when you become a parent and do you make more conscious and fair choices for your baby? These are some of the questions we asked 200 pregnant and new parents when we wanted to find out how they think and act when it comes to sustainability and consumption.

Second-hand and circular

The majority of pregnant women and new parents surveyed are in favor of second-hand shopping. When pregnant, as many as 9 out of 10 plan to buy something second-hand. This also appears to be consistent with the subsequent behavior of the target group, as 85% of new parents say they have bought products second-hand. Only 1 in 10 have no interest at all in buying on the second-hand market. When asked why they choose to buy second-hand, it turns out that price is the main driver, while 18% do so for the sake of the environment. 

In recent years, more rental services have appeared on the market as business models linked to the sharing economy have become trendy. Despite the increased availability of these services, the experience of renting instead of buying products is low among this target group, as only 16% have ever chosen to rent instead of buying.  

Conscious and sustainable choices

When it comes to the type of purchase that people reflect most on when it comes to the product's climate impact, more than half say that it is purchases of food and consumables, followed by clothing and home furnishings. The survey also shows that people are more likely to choose sustainable alternatives for their baby than for themselves, with 6 out of 10 saying that they are more likely to choose environmentally friendly alternatives for their baby. 

For which types of purchases do you think most about the product having a low impact on the environment and being sustainable?

Food & Consumables 53%
Clothing & Home Furnishings 34%
Beauty & Skincare 5%
Toys 8%

There is a general interest and willingness to consume sustainably and choose sustainable products. When they do not, the main reason is high price. On the other hand, one fifth say that the main reason they do not choose sustainable options is because of a lack of choice. 

Sustainability and climate anxiety

Many of us agree that our planet must be preserved for future generations, but perhaps this becomes even clearer when you have children of your own. 7 out of 10 say they think more about the future climate and environment since having children and a fifth say they do not do anything actively to reduce their climate impact, but that they would like to do so.