Two out of three Greek consumers consider environmental protection important. However, only 17% are willing to pay more for products whose production does not harm the environment.
“These figures highlight both a gap between stated environmental attitudes and actual consumer behaviour, as well as the strained financial situation of the public,” according to a survey by the Institute of Retail Consumer Goods Research (IELKA), in a sample of 1,500 consumers from across Greece.
At the same time, “it appears that there is a deficit in environmental awareness among large groups of the population, which may affect future environmental protection strategies and practices,” added IELKA.
The survey, which was conducted in the first quarter of 2025, captures consumers’ attitudes regarding their environmental awareness and consumer choices, as they relate to product production, packaging and retail.
The survey’s findings
In more detail, according to the survey, approximately 2 in 3 consumers consider environmental issues important. A preference is recorded for practices with a reduced environmental footprint, such as the desire for less plastic packaging in food (57%), the desire to reduce the environmental impact of the products they choose (63%) and the desire for products to be produced with environmentally friendly practices (65%).
Cheaper is better
However, the positive attitude does not seem to translate into corresponding purchasing behavior. Only 17% of consumers, or 1 in 7, said they are willing to pay more for products whose production does not burden the environment.
37% stated that between two identical products, one of which does not burden the environment, they would always choose the cheaper one.
