Tracking changing consumer priorities on the Global Goals in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and the Netherlands
Share of consumers prioritising each SDG
Understanding which Global Goals for Sustainable Development (SDGs) consumers believe companies should prioritise offers valuable insight into public sentiment around sustainability. With Sustainable Brand Index data collected in 2019, 2021, and 2024 from Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and the Netherlands, we can trace how consumer preferences have shifted over time and how the priorities differ across these countries.
Sweden: A Strong Call for Climate Action
In Sweden, the call for Climate Action has been a dominant theme throughout the years. In 2019, 32.8% of respondents indicated that companies should prioritise this goal, and by 2024, this figure rose even higher to 35.9%. While other SDGs like Clean Water and Sanitation and Decent Work and Economic Growth remained consistently important, Climate Action has consistently been the most prominent.
Another priority that has remained relatively stable in Sweden is Gender Equality, which fluctuated from 27.1% in 2019 to 24.7% in 2021 and then slightly down to 23.9% in 2024. Though the percentage has decreased, it still ranks among the higher priorities for Swedish consumers.
Norway: A Balanced Focus on Clean Water and Climate Action
Norwegian consumers have shown a consistent preference for Clean Water and Sanitation as well as Climate Action. In 2019, 27.9% prioritised Clean Water, with similar numbers in 2021 and 2024. Climate Action was a priority for 28.2% of respondents in 2019, and while this dipped slightly to 23.2% in 2021, by 2024, it was back up to 33%.
Interestingly, Gender Equality saw an uptick in interest in Norway, increasing from 20.1% in 2019 to 24.7% in 2021, before falling to 19.9% in 2024. This highlights some variability in focus, yet other SDGs such as Affordable and Clean Energy have remained relatively stable.
Denmark: Climate Action Takes the Lead in 2024
In Denmark, Climate Action emerged as the top priority over time, with a significant shift happening between 2021 and 2024. In 2019, 41.4% of respondents chose Climate Action as a priority, but this dropped to 25.2% in 2021 before sharply rebounding to 43.7% by 2024. This dramatic change suggests that Danish consumers have become even more focused on climate issues over the years.
Other goals like Decent Work and Economic Growth and Clean Water and Sanitation remained key priorities. In 2019, 32.3% of consumers believed Decent Work was crucial, though this figure fell to 19.9% by 2024. Clean Water had a more consistent trajectory, staying around 25%.
Finland: Climate Action Stays in Focus
Like its Nordic neighbours, Finland has shown a strong and steady commitment to Climate Action. In 2021, 43.2% of Finnish consumers stated that companies should prioritise this goal; in 2024, it held steady at 43.6%. This reflects an unwavering dedication to addressing climate change among Finnish respondents.
Clean Water and Sanitation was another consistent priority, with around 27% of respondents selecting it as important in both 2021 and 2024. However, there was less emphasis on goals like Decent Work and Economic Growth, which was prioritised by 26.7% in 2021 but fell to 19.9% in 2024.
The Netherlands: A Varied Approach with Focus on Economic Growth
In the Netherlands, the top priority has been more focused on Decent Work and Economic Growth, which dominated in 2019, with 41.3% of respondents choosing this goal. However, this figure declined in subsequent years, falling to 27.8% in 2021 and even further to 15.9% by 2024.
Interestingly, Dutch consumers shifted their attention towards Affordable and Clean Energy, which rose from 32.7% in 2019 to 34.6% in 2024. Meanwhile, Climate Action and Clean Water and Sanitation held relatively steady positions, with modest changes in the mid-20% range throughout the years.
Key Trends and Differences
A few clear trends emerge when comparing these countries:
Climate Action stands out as the top priority across all countries, with notable increases in focus, especially in Denmark and Norway. Swedish and Finnish consumers also consistently show a strong preference for this goal.
Decent Work and Economic Growth saw notable declines across most countries. While it was highly prioritised in the Netherlands and Denmark in 2019, by 2024, these numbers had dropped significantly.
Clean Water and Sanitation was a steady priority in Norway and Finland, reflecting ongoing concerns about water security in these regions.
Gender Equality remained an important but secondary focus in Sweden and Norway, while it was less of a priority in Denmark and the Netherlands.
The variation in focus among countries shows that while there are shared concerns, especially about climate, different nations have unique priorities based on their societal and environmental contexts.