INTRODUCTION

The size of the sustainable consumption challenge – trillions of products, produced in millions of locations and sold to billions of consumers – calls for ambitious action. A radical shift is needed in established approaches to break engrained behaviours and practices amongst consumers, retailers and manufacturers alike. In 2022, over two billion people will purchase goods or services online, presenting a major opportunity for ecommerce to reshape consumer choices worldwide.

Our session explored how e-commerce platforms can play a strategic role to scale sustainable consumption through better online product sustainability information. How can innovation be used to influence the purchasing behaviour of consumers? How can the information given to consumers on sustainable products be made accessible and clear? How can platforms work with third-party sellers and suppliers to incentivise and standardise information?

Leading online retailers and e-commerce platforms shared their views on the opportunities and challenges to empower consumers and accelerate sustainable consumption. Together they discussed critical next steps and the session will officially launch the “E-commerce working group for sustainability”. Importantly, this online business network will champion forward the ten principles found in UNEP’s ‘Guidelines for Providing Product Sustainability Information in E-Commerce’.

Consumers International is the membership organisation for consumer groups around the world.

We believe in a world where everyone has access to safe and sustainable products and services. We bring together over 200 member organisations in more than 100 countries to empower and champion the rights of consumers everywhere.

We are their voice in international policy-making forums and in the global marketplace to ensure they are treated safely, fairly and honestly. We are resolutely independent, unconstrained by business or political parties.