This comprehensive Report explores the market dynamics, the factors stimulating growth and changes and the perspectives and attitudes of consumers in relation to sustainable technology. Key market trends include a heightened push towards greener practices due to regulatory forces and an evolution in consumer demand. Notably, it explores tech ownership habits, affinities for sustainable products and consumer inclination to repair rather than replace older devices. We also examines the impact of demographic shifts on the tech sector and the resultant challenges and opportunities. Green practices, innovation and transparency are underscored as crucial for tech firms to earn and retain consumer trust.
Canadian consumers are increasingly leaning towards eco-friendly tech options, with practices like purchasing refurbished goods, using repair services, replacing smartphone batteries and mindful disposal of old devices growing in popularity. Younger consumers, particularly those aged 18-34, are driving these trends, with demographics like Black and South Asian consumers also demonstrating preferences for brands committed to ethical sourcing. Several high-profile tech firms, including Amazon, Apple and Samsung, are taking sustainability seriously. They’re developing energy-efficient products, pushing for carbon-neutral data centres, and initiating trade-in schemes for greener devices. Social media platforms have become a key medium for brands to reach and influence key demographics such as younger, sustainability-conscious consumers. Giants like Microsoft are also leveraging these platforms to educate users on how to reduce their carbon footprints. Companies including Sony and Apple are pivoting to eco-friendly packaging and product downsizing, establishing new standards for environmental accountability in the tech industry.
This report looks at the following areas:
- General ownership of common tech devices
- History of, and willingness to recycle, trade in, purchase used tech and engage in energy saving consumption practices at home
- Reasons why consumers aren’t interested in purchasing refurbished tech
- Factors prioritized when buying new tech
- Reasons consumers would pay more for a tech device
- Premiums consumers would be willing to pay for sustainability
- General attitudes towards sustainability in tech
Tech sustainability booms in Canada as consumers opt to repair, not replace. Apple, Amazon Services and Samsung promote eco-friendly practices through trade-ins, recycling and energy efficiency.
Michael Lloy, Research Analyst
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Executive summary
- What you need to know
- Market predictions
- What consumers want & why
- Embrace green technology
- Next-gen products for greater efficiency
- Connect with environmentally conscientious consumers
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The Market
- Market context
- Inflationary pressures have made consumers cautious, but government regulation and a preference for long-term savings are forcing brands to innovate
- Market drivers
- Costs remain elevated for Canadians
- Graph 1: Consumer Price Index, 2020-24
- CPI rises by 2% in October 2024: notable increases in food and property taxes
- Canadians are feeling the squeeze when it comes to the price of essentials
- Graph 2: have you been affected by any of these issues over the past two months, 2024
- Still, Canadians are optimistic about their financial situations
- Graph 3: changes in financial status, by worse or better off, 2024
- Canadians' higher savings rates persist amid inflationary pressure
- Graph 4: household savings rate, 2019-24
- Canada's demographic shift: the growing importance of genuine diversity in marketing and media
- Graph 5: proportion of visible minority in Canada, 1981-2036 (projected)
- Canada's ageing population: brands must adapt engagement strategies for growing elderly demographic
- Graph 6: population aged 0-14 and 65+, 2000-40*
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Consumer Insights
- Tech ownership summary
- Opportunities for growth and sustainability in consumer electronics ownership
- Graph 7: devices in the home, 2024
- Older consumers are significantly more likely to be holding onto older tech
- Graph 8: devices in the home, by age, 2024
- Men are more likely to own most home entertainment tech devices than women
- Graph 9: devices in the home, by gender, 2024
- Tech ownership of consoles, smart home devices and AR/VR headsets among minority groups aligns with younger consumers
- Graph 10: devices in the home (select), by race, 2024
- Sustainability in tech: general attitudes and behaviours
- Sustainability as an identity
- Sustainability is top of mind for many consumers
- Most consumers want to be sustainable, but are unsure about its relevance to tech
- There is a particular opportunity for younger women to be educated about the benefits of sustainable technology
- Graph 11: sustainability matters more in other aspects of life than technology (% agree), by age and gender, 2024
- Despite generally being more environmentally conscious, younger consumers are also more likely to feel sustainability hinders innovation
- Graph 12: trying to be better for the environment hinders technological innovation (% agree), by age and gender, 2024
- Black and South Asian consumers are significantly more likely to feel that sustainable living is part of who they are
- Graph 13: attitudes towards sustainability in tech (% agree), by race, 2024
- When it comes to sustainability, consumer trust is a major barrier most tech brands need to overcome
- Graph 14: attitudes towards government oversight and sustainability (% agree), 2024
- Around half of consumers are interested in investing time or money into sustainable behaviours at home
- Graph 15: interest in sustainable behaviours, 2024
- Black and South Asian consumers show a higher interest in pursuing certain sustainable habits
- Graph 16: have done and would do so again in the future (select), Black and South Asian consumers vs overall, by race, 2024
- Repairing old tech
- Most consumers would prefer to repair old tech devices
- Younger consumers were more likely to have repaired an old tech device in the past, but also more likely to have no future interest
- Graph 17: repair a tech device rather than buy a new one, by age, 2024
- Most consumers are more interested in replacing their smartphone battery over replacing the phone
- Smartphone upgrade messaging may be more impactful to Black consumers
- Graph 18: replace a battery in a smartphone, Black consumers vs overall, 2024
- Disposing of old tech
- Knowledge is a massive barrier to proper recycling and disposal of tech
- Graph 19: "I'm not sure how to recycle tech devices where I live" (% agree), by age and gender, 2024
- Canadians are learning to dispose of tech properly
- Graph 20: tech disposal (% have done), 2024
- Private sales and trade-ins are also popular options for Canadians interested in disposing of old tech
- Graph 21: donating, trading-in and selling tech (% have done), 2024
- Many Canadians are interested in donating old tech to a good cause
- Graph 22: have not done, but would be interested in doing in the future, 2024
- Trade-in offers have become a staple of the telecom industry – but there are opportunities to expand to other categories
- Younger men were most likely to have thrown out their old tech
- Graph 23: have put old tech devices in the garbage, by age and gender, 2024
- Older consumers are more interested in trading in their tech devices for upgrades or credit; younger consumers are more likely to sell
- Graph 24: interest in selling or trading in used tech, by age, 2024
- Black and South Asian consumers were more likely to have traded in devices in the past; Black consumers more likely to trade-in again
- Graph 25: trade in an old tech device for a discount or cash towards a new device, Black and South Asian consumers vs overall, 2024
- Purchasing used or refurbished technology
- Around half of consumers show an interest in buying refurbished devices
- When it comes to refurbished or used tech, consumers are most concerned about quality and longevity
- Graph 26: reasons for avoiding used/refurbished tech, 2024
- Fairphone promoted the benefits of buying refurbished
- Security risks, trust, and cost-savings are heavy influencers in refurbished tech purchases
- Graph 27: refurbished tech attitudes (% agree), 2024
- Younger consumers are more likely to have bought used tech
- Graph 28: buy a refurbished or used tech device, by age and gender, 2024
- Older consumers are concerned with the functionality of refurbished tech, while younger consumers desire the newest gadgets
- Graph 29: reasons for avoiding used/refurbished tech, by age, 2024
- Parents are significantly more likely to have built tech consumption habits around sustainability when it comes to refurbished tech
- Graph 30: buy a refurbished or used tech device, by parental status, 2024
- Purchasing new tech devices
- Over half of consumers say that environmental impact is important to them when buying a tech device
- Sustainability and ethics take a back seat to price when it comes to purchasing new tech
- Graph 31: factors prioritized when purchasing new technology (% any rank), 2024
- Younger consumers are more concerned about sustainability but…
- Graph 32: factors prioritized when purchasing new technology (% any rank), by age, 2024
- 89% of tech-owning consumers say they would pay more for at least one eco-friendly feature
- Graph 33: factors consumers would pay more for regarding tech, 2024
- Messaging can be extremely important when promoting sustainability
- Graph 34: imagine a new tech device that usually costs $1,000, how much more would you be willing to pay if the device was more eco-friendly, 2024
- In fact, most consumers feel that sustainably produced tech is to expensive
- Graph 35: sustainably produced tech devices are too expensive, by age and gender, 2024
- So who is willing to pay more? Younger consumers
- Graph 36: imagine a new tech device that usually costs $1,000, how much more would you be willing to pay if the device was more eco-friendly, by age, 2024
- Black and South Asian consumers care significantly more about eco-friendly production
- Graph 37: select factors prioritized when purchasing new technology (% any rank), Black and South Asian consumers vs overall, 2024
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Competitive strategies
- Launch activity and innovation
- Apple Mac Mini's Role in Sustainability
- Sustainability and the cloud: carbon neutral data centres
- Samsung expands trade-in offers to the TV space
- Consumers are also looking for sustainability in tech accessories, and brands are meeting market demand
- Fairphone's fully recycled, ethically sourced, smartphones
- Marketing and advertising
- Facebook, Instagram and YouTube are the most widely utilized platforms on a daily basis
- Graph 38: daily social media usage, by age, 2024
- Brands are utilizing TikTok to connect with younger demographics
- Brands have taken to social media to promote their sustainable packaging
- Downsizing can help brands save on materials – but these products can also be positioned as more eco-friendly
- Microsoft took to TikTok to educate consumers on how to calculate their carbon footprint
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Appendix
- Consumer research methodology
- Consumer qualitative research
- Generations
- Abbreviations and terms
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