Key Insights
Sustainability is the New Normal
The 2010s were characterised by heavy fluctuations in consumer interest and attention to sustainability-related issues. For many consumers, sustainability and different types of corporate responsibility were new and unknown, still being moulded by company communication.
The 2020s have instead been characterised by a more stable interest and concern in sustainability issues. There is a New Normal in which sustainability is integrated into people's expectations of companies, society, and other stakeholders.
The challenge today is that mistrust in sustainability communication is widespread, and consumer behaviours lag behind ambitions (because they have jobs, families, friends and other things that take their time and attention). In times when consumers need directions to understand how to make good choices, company communication is, at best, vague and unambitious, leaving consumers confused.
The big question for brands today is: How do we balance bold sustainability action with credible, transparent communication?
Please note that despite this being the Official Report 2025 for Norway, some data points are also included from other countries. This is so you can compare the results and put them in context.
The market development 2024-2025
Consumer interest remains stable
Sustainability interest has remained remarkably stable over the past year, the same as the three years before - it is truly the New Normal. After 15 years of growing attention from all stakeholders, it has become an expectation among consumers. This is reinforced by the fact that, despite a turbulent global landscape, the proportion of the population showing interest in sustainability has remained consistent.
Between 2013 and 2020, the average fluctuation in this parameter was 16 percentage points. From 2021 to 2025, it has been zero (see graph below). This stability is not due to a lack of significant macro-level events (we can all agree on that 😉) but rather to the fact that sustainability is now a naturally integrated expectation by consumers from various stakeholders, including businesses.
Sustainability Interest
The share (%) of consumers discussing sustainability sometimes or often.
Sustainability Interest (INTERACTIVE)
The share (%) of consumers discussing sustainability sometimes or often.
Key sustainability topics in 2025
There is little difference between this year and last year regarding the topics that consumers choose to discuss with each other. No topic has received any extra focus from consumers. War and conflicts, the climate, and public health are still at the top of the agenda.
Apart from the above-mentioned, there are differences in the interests of the countries that stem from other local contexts rather than global development.
In Finland, the strong emphasis on safe societies reflects a national focus on security and stability, stemming from the history of having the longest European border with Russia.
In the Netherlands, political polarisation dominates discussions, aligning with the country's history of open debate and ideological divisions, but also the emergence of the far right over the past years.
Norway’s, relative to the other countries, strong focus on national economic issues reflects its dependence on oil and discussions on economic sustainability.
Finland leads in circular economy discussions, aligning with its national emphasis on this topic. Energy efficiency ranks higher in Norway and Sweden, where renewable energy dominates.
Finally, the low discussion rates around Sustainable Finance in all countries reflect that financial sustainability is still immature in consumer discussions.
Sustainability Topics
The share (%) of consumers discussing the topic regularly
The financial and political landscape will define future priorities
Economic uncertainty, rising inflation, and geopolitical tensions will continue to shape sustainability priorities. The green transition remains a key European objective, but the financial cost of sustainable business practices could lead to corporate hesitation. Governments may push for green investments through incentives, but backlash against high costs and regulatory burdens may create political resistance in some regions. This dynamic will force companies to balance sustainability goals with economic realities, which could lead to prioritisation of cost-effective, high-impact initiatives rather than broad, ambitious sustainability strategies.
Do you want to learn more about this? Click here to see our products.
Consumer willingness to pay for sustainability keeps declining
Except for Finland, which saw an increase of three percentage points, the willingness to pay for sustainability continues to decline across the board. In Norway, it has gone down 15 percentage points since 2022 and is now at an all-time low of 55%. The negative trend started around 2021-2022 in all countries, including Finland.
Economic pressures play a significant role. Even though people still care about sustainability, many consumers face tighter budgets or uncertain financial conditions. Rising living costs make them less willing to pay a premium for sustainable products, even if they support the idea in principle.
Consumers have also become more sceptical about the value of paying extra. They often question whether sustainable products offer more benefits than standard alternatives, especially if the additional cost does not translate into a noticeably higher quality or longer-lasting item. This scepticism results in a reluctance to spend extra money on sustainability, even as overall interest remains steady. Suppose there is a price gap for the consumer and companies fail to provide clear advantages over conventional products. In that case, consumers will opt for more affordable options despite their support for sustainable practices.
Sustainability Effect on Purchasing Decisions
The share (%) of consumers claiming to be affected by sustainability when they buy things
Shifts in consumer behaviour: From sustainable intent to pragmatic action
While consumers are becoming more positive about sustainability communication, mistrust remains high. Despite growing interest in sustainability, many still struggle to act on their beliefs. Economic constraints, convenience, and perceived trade-offs in quality and price remain barriers. Over the next three years, expect brands to shift their communication strategies from raising awareness to enabling easier, more frictionless, sustainable choices - whether through better product design, clearer labelling, or incentives that align with personal benefit rather than just environmental ideals.
Do you want to learn more about this? Click here to see our products.
Brand and communication
The Ranking
- The Nordics are stable, while The Netherlands plummet
Just as interest in sustainability has cemented and stabilised in recent years, perceptions of brands and their sustainability efforts appear to have followed the same pattern in all Nordic countries. A declining frequency of sustainability communication from companies over the past few years - an ongoing trend this year - has resulted in steady perceptions. The variation in ranking scores and brand perceptions is minimal, with only a few exceptions across different markets.
However, there has been a significant decline in the Netherlands (-12 percentage points), primarily driven by younger generations (16–44 years old). Over the past year, they have increasingly felt that politicians and the business sector lack sufficient ambition within sustainability and are not doing enough. This is clearly affecting the way they perceive the brands in Sustainable Brand Index.
Average SBI Ranking Score
The share (%) of consumers that are positive to the brands´ sustainability efforts
Positive attitude to sustainability communication…
Consumer perceptions of sustainability communication from companies vary across countries, reflecting distinct trends over time. In Sweden and Finland, positive attitudes have declined, but this follows a sharp increase last year, suggesting a natural stabilisation rather than a significant shift. Norway, on the other hand, continues to see a clear upward trend, with positive attitudes steadily increasing over the past four years. Denmark remains neutral, showing no major changes in consumer sentiment. Meanwhile, the Netherlands is also experiencing a rise in positive attitudes, though at a more cautious pace than before.
But growing mistrust over time
The long-term trend between 2021 and 2025 is clear across all five countries. The trust in sustainability communication goes down while the mistrust goes up. If we compare the shares of Trust in 2021 with the same for 2025, all countries have dropped. Similarly, if we compare the shares of Mistrust in 2021 with the shares in 2025, all countries have increased. In short, mistrust is still weighing heavy despite a fairly neutral development over the past year.
Trust in Sustainability Communication
The share (%) of consumers that trust communication about sustainability from companies
Mistrust in Sustainability Communication
The share (%) of consumers that mistrust communication about sustainability from companies
🔎 Our brand reports offer granular insights tailored to your needs.
Check them out here!
The shift from Awareness to Accountability
Consumers across Europe are increasingly aware of sustainability issues, but while positive attitudes towards corporate sustainability communication are rising, trust remains fragile. This aligns with a broader global trend where companies are no longer being judged on whether they talk about sustainability but on whether they can prove their claims. Over the next three years, expect a stronger push for corporate accountability, with more demand for third-party verification, stricter sustainability reporting, and continued scrutiny of greenwashing. Sustainability communication will likely shift away from broad, feel-good messaging towards legally backed, quantifiable claims.
Do you want to learn more about this? Click here to see our products.
Consumer Behaviour
Behaviour Group Development 2024-2025
Just as consumer interest in sustainability is established and stable, so are the different types of sustainable behaviours. However, it is worth noting that the Ego group continues to increase in size in Norway. Since 2023, Ego is significantly larger than the progressive Smart group. Ego is now at 38%, the same level as in 2013 when our measurements started. This is not mainly because more than a third of the population lacks concern about sustainability (although these people exist too), but rather because many of the Ego consumers are unable to make sustainable choices. Based on either the economy or a clear lack of knowledge.
Overall, we can conclude that these four behaviour types are fairly stable over time, which is what you, as a brand, must work with. There will not be a revolutionary increase in Smart and Dedicated, just as there will not be a further explosion of Egos just because Donald Trump is the US president.
EGO
Cares somewhat about sustainability, but without necessarily using the word sustainability.
MODERATE
Follower – believes that sustainability can be rather interesting, especially when it is trendy.
SMART
Curious & interested in sustainability, but always with a “what´s in it for me?” perspective.
DEDICATED
Passionate & well-informed on sustainability.
Ego
Ego is usually a man with strong views about how society should function, with a large focus on the individual or local level. It is the behaviour group across all countries that shows the biggest gender divergence, representing relatively more men. Ego often holds traditional values and is most interested in his personal well-being, things happening in his own country, and the local community. For some years, we have seen that Ego has been completely uninterested in sustainability, but that is changing. Ego can be reached by targeting a sustainability message carefully around the right topics. However, Ego does not want to be showered with sustainability messages. It needs to be an added (or hidden) value to more important priorities like price and health.
Moderate
Today, Moderate is the majority of the population. Moderate is the symbol of the “ordinary consumer”, one that does not make too much noise and usually has a more follower attitude. Moderate is pretty pleased with things as they are. Moderate is a bit interested in sustainability, but does not necessarily drive the agenda forward. For this behaviour group, the quality, function and price of a product is always the main prioritiy. With that, Moderate often behaves more sustainably when it is trendy or becomes normative. Even more so if it gives them positive social attention.
Smart
Smart is more actively interested in sustainability and sees the possibility to combine things that are good for him or herself with what is good for the planet. The climate issues is high up on the agenda for Smart. However, quality, service and well-being are also important priorities for Smart. This means, Smart does not prioritise sustainability over everything else. They make everyday choices to balance these things, with a ”what’s in it for me?” perspective. Smart actively seeks information about what is going on in the world. Doing the right things and choosing sustainable brands is a matter of lifestyle for Smart.
Dedicated
Dedicated is the behaviour group that is most interested in and knowledgeable on sustainability issues. With sustainability as a core value, Dedicated is a person who lives consciously and weighs every consumption decision carefully. They are often interested in global developments and well-informed about what companies do in the area of sustainability. However, Dedicated also puts very high demands on companies and is not afraid to be vocal with questions or comments on their sustainability efforts. Usually she or he reads and researches a lot and avoids accepting information directly from companies themselves. Across countries, Dedicated is often younger in age and living in urban areas
🔎 Our Market Report dives deeper into consumer behaviours. Check it out here!
Development of the Behaviour Groups in Norway
Legal challenges will grow stronger, and Hostile Activism may rise
Litigation against companies for misleading sustainability claims is expected to rise as consumers, watchdog groups, and regulators become more aggressive in holding brands accountable. High-profile cases around misleading carbon neutrality claims and social responsibility failures could set legal precedents, making it riskier for companies to engage in vague or exaggerated sustainability communication. Activist investors will also continue to pressure companies to adopt stronger environmental and social governance (ESG) strategies, influencing corporate decision-making from within. In other parts of society, activist groups are getting more frustrated but less listened to, which will make for more hostile and violent actions.
Do you want to learn more about this? Click here to see our products.
Want to explore these insights in detail for your brand? Contact us for a tailored report.