Are Sustainable Products More Expensive?

While the cost to the planet is much lower, sustainable products often have a heftier price tag than everyday products/brands. Despite being more expensive, data from Statista showed that in 2022, approximately 20% of survey consumers in the UK had become more sustainable with their purchasing behaviour in the last year. Since then, however, the UK has been hit with the cost of living - so could sustainable shopping become too expensive for UK consumers or is ethical buying outweighing the expense?

Why Are Sustainable Products More Expensive?

Last year’s YouGov data showed that, globally, 69% of consumers believe sustainable products are more expensive than alternatives. The same study also revealed that 50% of global consumers prioritise price over sustainability - meaning that the higher price tag of sustainable products becomes another obstacle to more ethical buying options.

So why are sustainable products often more expensive in the UK?

They Cost More To Make

Sustainable materials and resources are typically more expensive - hence why many brands avoid using them still. 

Lower Supply

You don’t have to be an economics expert to understand that when something is rarer the cost is typically higher. Even in this greener landscape, sustainable products are still available in much lower quantities than those that are harsher on the planet, this means that they’re likely to come with a bigger price tag.

Higher Standards

To be described as ‘sustainable’ these products often have to meet a set of standards or criteria to be marketed this way - all of which costs money. This is money the suppliers need to make back in profit when it comes to consumers.

Quality Price Tag

We all know the saying, “You get what you pay for” and this applies to sustainable products, too. Just because something is good for the planet doesn’t mean it’s poor quality, in fact, it usually means it’s much better and the price can often reflect this.

Research

Businesses that want to be ethical and create sustainable products typically have to do more research in the development stage of their products - which, again, doesn’t come cheap. Testing different materials to ensure they meet the needs of the product while not impacting the planet can continue to take its toll on a business’s expenses.

Why Are Sustainable Products Worth The Extra Cost?

If you’re a consumer sitting torn about saving money or saving the planet, then let us give you some food for thought. Sustainable products may seem expensive initially, but the alternative comes at a much larger cost - our planet. Spending a bit extra now will help in the long run and here’s why.

Saving the Planet

Designed to reduce the impact on the planet and reduce emissions, the main reason to shop for sustainable products plays to your ethics and beliefs. Think of the extra money being donated to preserve the planet and protect it for longer.

Fewer Toxic Materials

Sustainable products are often plastic-free and use much more natural materials. Safety is often a big part of product ideation, and even more so with sustainable products. This can span from organic food to non-toxic cleaning products.

Better Quality

Again, this is why the price is higher so benefit from it yourself. Designed to last longer to reduce waste, sustainable products are typically better quality making them worth the extra pennies.

How To Save Money With Sustainable Products

Shopping sustainably may feel like a bigger upfront cost, but typically they should cost you less long-term. Sustainable means the products are built to be more durable, to be better quality, to use less energy and to reduce waste. All of these things mean that over time you should be spending less replacing products.

Here are just a few of the ways you can save your money by shopping sustainable products:

Energy Efficient Appliances

Home appliances that have better energy ratings may come with a heftier price tag, however, the products make up for this spend quickly. They are designed to use less electricity meaning a reduction on your monthly bills instantly.

Bulk Buy

Buying more of your sustainable products initially will make the price per unit cheaper - allowing you to save money. This will also help you reduce packaging waste and perhaps even postage emissions if you typically get things delivered over time.

Opt for Reusable Products

Replacing one-use products with reusable ones means you’ll eventually become profitable over the extra money you spend. This can be small-scale, such as replacing cleaning wipes with reusable cloths or choosing a Wave Case for your phone that will be replaced for free when it’s lived its life span.