Zalando publishes report with insights and recommendations to bridge the gap between what consumers say they want to do in terms of sustainability and what they actually do when buying fashion. To make it easier to make sustainable choices, Zalando is launching a new shopping experience that allows customers to search for what is important to them Zalando continues to invest in Pre-owned and also makes the offer available in Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Italy and Sweden.

Zalando, Europe's leading online fashion and lifestyle platform, today publishes the report, "It Takes Two: How the Industry and Consumers Can Close the Sustainability Attitude-Behavior Gap in Fashion." The report examines the difference between what people say they want to do and what they actually do. It shows that many customers find it difficult to apply their personal sustainability values ​​when buying clothes. The report contains clear recommendations on how to solve this problem by working together. In response to the findings and recommendations, Zalando is launching a new shopping experience that allows customers to browse the more sustainable range in a way that reflects the values ​​they pursue. In addition, Zalando continues to invest in Pre-owned and gives customers in seven new markets the opportunity to buy and trade in second-hand fashion themselves, after it has already been successfully launched in Belgium and the Netherlands, among others.

Based on consumer research conducted in five European countries *, the report states that the fashion industry must make sustainable choices more attractive, realistic and accessible. At the same time, consumers should give more priority to sustainability in their fashion choices, just as they do in other areas of their lives.

David Schneider, Co-CEO at Zalando, says: “We aim to have 25% of our gross trade volume (GMV) in more sustainable products by 2023. During the corona crisis, customers let us know that sustainable shopping has become more important than ever to them. However, when we asked them what they thought of sustainable fashion, the association “guilty” came to the fore. The feeling that came up the least was “fun”. If the fashion industry takes sustainability seriously, we need to resolve this dissonance around sustainability now to build a stronger future for fashion. ”

The “It Takes Two” report lists ten recommendations that can help fashion companies close the gap between attitude and behavior. The report identifies three priorities that need to be addressed quickly. First of all, the fashion industry must gain confidence with simple and convincing communication. Second, behavior change must be promoted. Finally, attention must be paid to circularity with solutions to close the chain.

Kate Heiny, Director Sustainability at Zalando, explains: “Our customers say that sustainability is very important to them, but they find it difficult to put these values ​​into action when they go shopping or online shopping. As a platform, our job is to empower ourselves, our brands and our customers to make more sustainable choices, inspire them to take joint action and drive lasting change. That's why we prepared this report, from which we can all learn: Zalando, the fashion industry and consumers. This report concluded that if we really want to close the gap between attitude and behavior that has existed in fashion for a long time, collaboration is the only solution. We will have to do it together; the fashion industry and our consumers. ”

Zalando wants to lead by example and has already implemented one of the report's recommendations: "Speak about sustainability in a way that everyone can understand." The recommendation is based on the finding that one in two customers does not understand what sustainability means in the context of fashion. Thanks to a new feature in the Zalando shop, customers can now browse the range based on the values ​​they consider important, such as water conservation, employee well-being, reuse of materials, animal welfare, limiting CO2 emissions and extending lifespan of fashion items. In 2018, Zalando already started labeling products with a "sustainability flag", such as items made with more sustainable materials or production methods. Today, this sustainable range already includes more than 80,000 items from more than 500 brands. With the launch of this new shopping experience, Zalando is taking it a step further in its drive to give consumers a better understanding of sustainable fashion, enabling them to make more informed choices.

This is a subject that is very important to us and we are happy to be sharing this with our readers.

Read more about it on their website: https://corporate.zalando.com/en/attitude-behavior-gap-report#foreword