Retailers and brands are coming under increasing pressure to do their bit to protect the environment in the face of growing awareness of the climate emergency facing the planet at the moment.

A new report from Wunderman Thompson has demonstrated the extent to which consumers are now engaged with this concept, showing that 9 out of 10 people believe that the brands they use should take responsibility for their eco impact.

This means that it is in the interest of businesses to make sure that they take this into account when organising their operations - largely because customer loyalty now partly relies on minimising carbon footprints and also making sure that workers are happy and healthy.

Industry experts believe that this trend will only continue to grow over the coming years, so sites which offer safe shopping online and the brands which are available through them need to start thinking hard about how they adapt in the face of this new green era.

Sustainability is not just something that needs to be considered during the manufacturing and sales process of products - it must also be considered in the long term over the lifespan of the item in question. It is not just the packaging of a product which consumers expect to be recyclable but also the product itself.

Other aspects, such as the materials and resources which are used to bring products from the drawing board to the user’s home, will also be under more scrutiny than ever. The study shows that the brands which do not take this seriously will be left by the wayside as their more conscientious rivals rise to prominence.

Once again it is clear that consumers can vote with their wallets in order to influence businesses, meaning even small changes in spending habits can deliver significant results.