The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is at the critical mid-way point. However, the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and climate-related disasters over the past years have significantly impeded progress (United Nations General Assembly Economic and Social Council, 2023). The fashion industry plays a pivotal role in driving change and reshaping its operations to comply with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Sustainable fashion, also known as eco-fashion or ethical fashion, focuses on reducing the environmental footprint, protecting labour rights, and promoting sustainable economic development to build a better future.
A preliminary global data assessment reveals that only 12% of the SDGs are on track, nearly half of the goals have shown some progress but deviated from their intended trajectory, and 30% have seen no progress or even regressed (United Nations General Assembly Economic and Social Council, 2023). This has sparked a strong interest in exploring consumers’ awareness of SDGs. For this purpose, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University released the Survey on Consumer Perceptions of Sustainable Fashion in Hong Kong and Macau report last year, aiming to explore consumers’ attitudes towards SDGs and consumption habits regarding sustainable fashion products. In last year’s report, it was found that consumers in Hong Kong and Macau demonstrated a higher awareness of SDGs compared to the global average. However, this year, we are eager to discover if there have been any improvements or setbacks in this regard. In the context of setbacks to global sustainable development, we aim to investigate whether consumers in Hong Kong and Macau have undergone any changes in their attitudes towards sustainable fashion. These questions have become the focal point of our research.
In addition, this year we further explored the relationship between consumers’ attitudes towards sustainable fashion and their purchasing intentions and actual behaviour. Overall, the proportion of consumers purchasing sustainable products is significantly lower than their purchasing intentions, indicating the presence of an intention-behaviour gap. However, brand sustainability messages can narrow this intention-behaviour gap for sustainable products. The survey shows that companies can stimulate consumers to buy sustainable fashion products by using effective promotion methods.
The survey results were compared with the Survey on Consumer Perceptions of Sustainable Fashion in Hong Kong and Macau (Yan et al., 2022) conducted in 2022, aiming to continuously monitor changes in consumers’ perceptions and behaviours related to sustainable development. By comparing the results, we hope to gain insights into the differences in Hong Kong and Macau consumers’ awareness of the SDGs over the past two years. Additionally, the survey delved into the relationship between brand sustainability messaging, brand marketing, and consumers’ purchasing behaviour, providing recommendations for effective communication between corporations and consumers in the future. These findings serve as valuable references for corporations to develop more targeted sustainable development plans and marketing strategies, enabling them to better meet the growing consumer demand and awareness of sustainability.
Project sponsored by UNIQLO, operated by School of Fashion and Textiles, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
