Shoppers in the Philippines are cognizant of the environmental impact of their purchasing decisions.
A report from the collaboration between the Carousell Media Group (CMG), and the Interactive Advertising Bureau Southeast Asia and India (IAB SEA+India) showed 75 percent of Filipino consumers prefer sustainable and eco-friendly brands, while 92 percent of Filipino shoppers — millennial and Gen Z groups being the majority — prefer products made from natural ingredients.
An overwhelming 90 percent prefer to purchase locally-made products as they believe they are healthier, better for their wellbeing, and buying local supports the local economy and provides employment to their fellow Filipinos.
In terms of sustainable shopping practices, the report also revealed that purchasing fewer new items, buying and selling second hand, bringing bags when shopping, and seeking out sellers and brands with sustainability ethics and manufacturing processes are just some of the ways consumers are actively addressing environmental concerns.
In fact, 55 percent of Filipinos have purchased or sold secondhand items on the platform, while 25 percent of Filipino consumers prefer to buy items from sellers with sustainability practices.
Saniya Gupta, CMG head of client strategy, said these new breeds of shoppers are the drivers of the shift to recommerce, who take pride in having pre-loved items while doing it in a more sustainable way.
As more consumers become socially and environmentally conscious and are willing to pay more for sustainable products, Gupta sees secondhand will be the first choice in the near future, and that recommerce will be as ubiquitous as e-commerce.
