China Consumer Attitudes towards ESG: 2026
The challenge of ESG marketing for enterprises is not a lack of consumer recognition, but the need to convert consumer sentiment into drivers of engagement and purchase.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- Key issues in this Report
- Definitions
- What you need to know
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THE MARKET
- Market factors
- ESG narratives are cooling off at the global macro level
- However, on a practical level, promoting ESG is turning into a more pragmatic choice
- In China, national policies push for the further implementation of sustainability goals
- And sustainability is gradually becoming consumers’ everyday choice
- Consumer expectations for brands are evolving: not only hoping for brands to take on more responsibility but also increasingly unwilling to pay for unethical companies
- Graph 1: ‘I expect brands to take the lead on addressing environmental issues’, 2024-26
- Graph 2: ‘I’m opposed to buying from companies who behave unethically’, 2024-26
- Food and drink: ingredient traceability shifts from origins to workers’ stories
- Beauty and personal care: fast growth in environmentally friendly product and recycling claims
- Graph 3: ethical claims in new BPC products, 2025-26
- Clothing and footwear: outdoor trend localisation injects brands’ environmental concepts into activities
- The reality of the consumer say-do gap brands must confront on ESG
- ESG creates value not through label-led premiums, but through rethinking products, content and experiences
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CONSUMER INSIGHTS
- Awareness of ESG issues: be specific and perceptible
- Consumers have already widely recognised the value of brands’ involvement in environmental protection, public welfare and social responsibility issues
- Graph 4: support levels across ESG topics, 2026
- But in reality, consumers each prioritise differently, based on what feels relevant
- People aged 25-29 are more convinced that sustainable development can bring practical benefits, and thus are the most proactive in acting on it
- Graph 5: attitudes towards ESG development – awareness of sustainability, 2026
- Graph 6: ESG issues willing to spend time or money supporting, age 25-29, 2026
- By topic: the presence of clearly defined beneficiaries drives paid support, while integration into everyday life drives hands-on action
- Graph 7: support levels across ESG topics, 2026
- When communicating public welfare issues, brands need to translate them into everyday details that consumers can immediately understand
- Practising ESG in daily life: add meaning to simple actions
- Sustainability practices have become part of daily life, with consumers participating in nearly four environmental public welfare activities on average
- Graph 8: everyday environmental and charitable behaviours, 2026
- Graph 9: everyday environmental and charitable behaviours, repertoire, 2026
- The ESG actions consumers are willing to take are simple deeds that benefit both others and themselves
- ESG is not about creating new demand but about making what needs to be done more meaningful
- In family scenarios, ESG responds to parents’ expectations for non-utilitarian personal development
- Graph 10: traits valued in children’s development, 2026
- ESG education can turn nature experiences from simple recreation into opportunities for growth
- For pet owners, ESG addresses the core duty of care while expanding their range of lifestyle activities
- Graph 11: everyday environmental and charitable behaviours, pet owners, 2026
- Go beyond creating pet-friendly scenarios and make pets a gateway to an enriched lifestyle
- Using things to their full potential is a shared belief across consumers, but motivations differ by generation: older consumers prioritise thrift, younger ones prioritise fun
- Graph 12: everyday environmental and charitable behaviours, by age, 2026
- From durability to renewal, consumers seek objects that stay with them for longer, helping preserve the emotions and memories attached to them
- Embedding consumers’ emotional connection to belongings into day-to-day operations
- Attitude towards brand ESG marketing: it must simultaneously provide product value and facilitate brand trust
- The same ESG label is used by some to judge the brand, and others to judge the product first
- Graph 13: attitudes towards ESG marketing – importance of brand disclosure, 2026
- Two modes of interaction in ESG marketing: the relational type seeks companionship and guidance, while the transactional type values convenience and autonomy
- Graph 14: attitudes towards ESG – preference of marketing campaign, by type of consumers, 2026
- Graph 15: attitudes towards ESG marketing – willingness to try new ESG lifestyles, 2026
- Product first, public welfare second: let ESG add emotional value and meaning to a good product
- Real, traceable ESG marketing attracts both types of consumers
- Graph 16: attractive ESG marketing, by type of consumers, 2026
- Authentic and traceable content is a must-have, and making personal achievements visible is a key direction for growth
- Emotional needs are rising this year: younger consumers seek self-expression, while older adults seek connection
- Graph 17: features that make ESG-related advertising more appealing, Post-2000s, 2025-26
- Graph 18: features that make ESG-related advertising more appealing, Post-1960s and Post-1970s, 2025-26
- Dishonesty, labour exploitation and environmental harm are universal red lines
- Younger generations are sensitive to a wider range of brand missteps: they are closest to brands and most want to be understood
- Graph 19: brand behaviours that drive purchase rejection, by age, 2026
- Public welfare provides a sustainable content motif for brands
- Older generations are more concerned about the transparency of production processes, reflecting their concerns about safety and health
- Graph 20: brand behaviours that drive purchase rejection, by age, 2026
- Attract consumers with intangible cultural heritage and traditional production techniques and foster trust through modern quality inspection and established channels
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WHAT WE THINK
- What we think
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APPENDIX – METHODOLOGY AND ABBREVIATIONS
- Methodology
- Respondents in the focus group interview
- China: drivers of participation in environmental and charitable activities, 2025
- Graph 21: drivers for ethical activities, 2025
- China: demographics of transactional and relational consumers, 2026
- Graph 22: attitudes towards ESG marketing – importance of brand disclosure, by demographic characteristics, 2026
The challenge of ESG marketing for enterprises is not a lack of consumer recognition, but the need to convert consumer sentiment into drivers of engagement and purchase. Only when ESG moves beyond the issues brands seek to communicate and into consumers’ everyday life contexts will it have the potential to create tangible value – something consumers can see, engage with and be willing to buy through products, content and experiences.
Ruyu Dai, Associate Research Analyst, China
Market Definitions
ESG stands for environmental, social and governance. These are the three key areas by which a company’s or organisation’s performance is measured in terms of sustainability and social impact.
ESG referred to in this report broadly indicates sustainability issues that consumers can see and engage with in everyday life and brand actions. It encompasses environmental issues such as environmental protection, low-carbon society and resource conservation, as well as social issues like public welfare, social equity and employee and consumer rights. Additionally, it includes whether companies act in an open, transparent, credible and responsible manner.
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