Amazon has launched our Climate Pledge Friendly programme in Belgium, designed to make it easier for customers to discover and shop for products with sustainability features. More than half of Belgians find it difficult to identify products with sustainability features when shopping online, and 55% state that they want retailers to help them make more sustainable choices.
Customers in Belgium will now be able to discover over 70,000 products with various sustainability features – from products made with recycled materials and organic contents, to products which are more energy efficient compared to similar items. These features are based on 41 vetted and reputable third-party certifications recognising products with improvements in at least one aspect of sustainability, such as the Rainforest Alliance, Fair for Life and the Forest Stewardship Council.
The Climate Pledge Friendly programme has launched in Belgium as a new study of 1,000 Belgian shoppers - commissioned by Amazon from OnePoll in July 2024 – reveals that seven in ten (70%) respondents prefer to buy products that have a more positive environmental and social impact, although more than half (56%) of those surveyed struggle to identify them. In fact, Belgian shoppers find building flat-pack furniture (42%), cooking an elaborate dinner party from scratch (39%), and learning to use new computer software (28%) easier than figuring out the environmental impact of products when shopping.
As a result, only 11% of Belgian respondents say they always understand a product’s environmental impact when they shop, and more than half (55%) of those surveyed want retailers to help them make more sustainable choices when shopping for everyday items, such as socks, sugar, or personal care products like soap and sunscreen.
“Products with certified sustainability features are a top choice for Belgian shoppers, and it’s hugely important that customers can easily understand what these certifications exactly mean,” said Eva Faict, Country Manager of amazon.com.be. “With the launch of the Climate Pledge Friendly programme, we are making it easier for our Belgian customers to make more sustainable choices when they shop on amazon.com.be.”
Our Climate Pledge Friendly programme encompasses multiple product categories, from beauty and fashion, to pantry, household and personal electronics.
For easier identification by customers, eligible products have a ‘sustainable features’ link, helping customers learn more about the product from a sustainability point of view – which can include production processes, provenance or packaging - when shopping on the Amazon Belgium store: amazon.com.be/climatepledgefriendly.
Amazon seller François Van den Brulle, Founder of IRO Matcha, said: “In line with our mission to deliver premium organic teas farmed responsibly and in an eco-friendly manner, we are delighted to collaborate with Amazon on its Climate Pledge Friendly initiative. We believe that this initiative will help Amazon consumers make healthier and more sustainable choices.”
Certifications matter to Belgian shoppers, with almost three quarters (74%) surveyed saying they are more likely to trust a product’s sustainability claims if it is supported by an official certification from a reputable organisation. One in two (50%) Belgian shoppers surveyed also claim to have abandoned a purchase when they did not trust or understand its sustainability claims.
“We are delighted to feature Amazon’s Climate Pledge Friendly descriptions on our products,” said Wouter Gryson, Founder of Valley of Tea. “By focusing on direct trade and offering organic, natural products, we support fair compensation for farmers, ensure the highest quality standards, and promote eco-friendly practices from farm to cup.”
In 2023, Amazon’s Climate Pledge Friendly product selection has grown to more than 1.4 million items globally – a 157% increase from 2022. More than 60 million Amazon customers globally have switched to a Climate Pledge Friendly product from their usual brand purchases – sending a strong signal to Amazon’s selling partners that customers want to shop for products with sustainability features.
Among the most sought-after sustainability features that Belgian shoppers look for are recyclable packaging (35%), reduced packaging (33%), kindness to animals (31%), water efficiency (28%), energy efficiency (25%), and items made with chemicals safe for human health and the environment (24%), according to the survey. Our Climate Pledge Friendly programme makes it easier for customers to find products that are aligned with these features.
The top five product categories that Belgian shoppers expect to find more sustainable options for include apparel (53%), cleaning products (44%), food and beverage items (44%), electronics/appliances (37%), and cosmetics and beauty (36%).
For detailed information on the programme qualification criteria and to start shopping for these products on amazon.com.be, click here or look for the ‘sustainability features’ link on qualifying products.
