Key Takeaways
- Shared responsibility: Consumers believe more sustainable fashion requires collective action. Beyond individuals (72%) and brands/retailers (77%), they see important roles for the EU (66%), social media platforms (65%), international organizations (63%), national governments (63%), influencers (61%), and NGOs (60%).
- Clear expectations for brands and retailers: Consumers want brands and retailers to make sustainability the default through lower prices, more sustainable materials, reduced packaging, better product design, rewards, and programs that support repair, resale, and recycling.
- But governments, social media, and others also have a role to play: Consumers expect national- and EU-level policy support like tax reductions on more sustainable fashion, investments in circular infrastructure, educational initiatives, and simplified eco-labels as well as help from social platforms and influencers to shift fashion culture away from overconsumption.
GlobeScan recently partnered with leading European fashion platform Zalando to explore how Gen Z and Millennial consumers in five key markets – France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and the UK – view sustainability in fashion. The research, which included a consumer survey and follow-up interviews as well as expert interviews, culminated in the report It takes many.
The findings reveal a clear message: consumers who aspire to buy or wear clothing items more sustainably see more sustainable fashion as a shared responsibility. While most expect action from brands and retailers (77%) and individuals like themselves (72%), they also look beyond these actors. Many see important roles for the European Union (66%), social media platforms (65%), national governments (63%), international organizations (63%), influencers (61%), and NGOs (60%) in creating the right conditions for more sustainable fashion to thrive.
When it comes to expectations for brands and retailers, consumers want more sustainable fashion to be the default. This includes offering affordable, sustainable products (38%), using recycled and lower-impact materials (33%), reducing packaging waste (32%), and designing durable, repairable items (31%). Supportive programs like recycling schemes, resale platforms, or rewards for sustainable behavior are also expected.
At the same time, governments and EU institutions are expected to play a more active role. Consumers want them to reduce taxes (e.g., lower VAT on more sustainable fashion – 42%), fund repair and recycling infrastructure (39%), and educate the public on sustainable fashion choices (36%). A third (34%) would like to see the introduction of trusted, government-backed eco-labels or product scores.
Social media platforms and influencers are also seen as critical enablers, with the potential to help shift the fashion narrative from short-lived trends and overconsumption to styles that are more circular, conscious, and enduring.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
Closing the attitude-behavior gap in more sustainable fashion requires collective, cross-sectoral action, not just individual or brand-level change. Consumers are ready to make more sustainable fashion choices, but they expect meaningful support from a broad coalition of actors. From governments to social media platforms and influencers, each has a role to play in removing the practical and structural barriers that prevent consumers from turning their aspirations into action.
Survey Question: How much do you hold each of the following responsible to help you change the way you buy and/or wear fashion items to be more sustainable? – “A great deal” and “A moderate amount.” Subsample: All who want to change their fashion purchasing or wearing behavior.
Source: Zalando It takes many report (survey of n=5,013 Gen Z and Millennial consumers in France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and the UK ‒ February 2025)
