Tuesday 1 December 2020

Four-in-five small businesses in food and drink sector ‘making sustainability a priority’

Four-in-five small businesses in the food and drink sector say they are making sustainability a priority for the next year.

That's according to a new report from E.ON, which says a third of consumers now look for strong environmental credentials before they buy.

It notes 36% are now purchasing more sustainable goods and services than they did before the pandemic, while 78% of SMEs are reporting greater demand for sustainable products and practices from their customers in the last year.

Three-quarters of businesses surveyed said they are coming under increased pressure to act from their own staff.

Michael Lewis, CEO of E.ON UK, said: “The COVID pandemic has heightened people’s concerns around the climate crisis including the environmental footprint of the products and services we buy and what we can do to improve. It’s clear there is a real opportunity for small businesses in the food and drink industry to embrace the green economic recovery and lead the charge in providing customers with the sustainable products they demand.

“Small businesses are the engine of the British economy and we can help make sure they’re equipped to take maximum advantage of the green economic recovery – providing the smart, personalised and sustainable solutions they need to be part of the new energy world. That means everything from 100% renewables-backed electricity at no extra cost for our direct customers2, to smart meters and new technologies such as electric vehicle charging, solar panels and battery storage.”