Mintel’s green technology and sustainability market research identifies German consumers’ attitudes towards sustainability in technology, the benefits of green technology, and challenges in the green technology and sustainability market. This report covers the green technology and sustainability market size, market forecast, market segmentation and trends for sustainability in the tech industry.
Key Insights Covered in this Report
- German consumers’ uptake and interest in sustainability in technology.
- What is keeping consumers from buying refurbished devices?
- Sustainability-related smartphone factors consumers are most willing to pay more for.
- Associations with green technology brands – are they ‘sustainable’, ‘trustworthy’ and ‘overpriced’?
- Attitudes regarding sustainability in technology, including the trustworthiness of tech brands’ eco-claims.
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Sustainability in Technology Industry: Current Market Landscape
Over half of German consumers are aware of the benefits of green technology and want brands in the German technology industry to develop more green technology products. However, their willingness to pay more for these green devices varies although Germans are by far most willing to pay more for sustainability-related smartphone factors that can, e.g., extend the device’s life.
One of the biggest challenges for Germany green technology is that leading brands in the sustainable technology market in Germany lack an eco-image among German consumers, thus limiting their choice of green technology products. The cost-of-living crisis and squeezed consumer budgets may further dampen Germans’ willingness to spend more on green tech devices, and consequently hinders green technology and sustainability market growth, however this is likely to drive demand for refurbished devices.
Green Technology and Sustainability Market Trends
Regulations will continue to push brands in the green technology and sustainability market towards more eco-friendly practices, while tech brands are also striving to establish a sustainable image as many Germans think that showing that you care about the environment makes you look good, clearly highlighting the power a green image can have for brands.
However, distrust about the credibility of green technology brands will continue to be a challenge, and green tech brands will have to address consumers’ distrust to gain any share in the green technology and sustainability market.
- Sustainability in Technology Market Opportunities: The majority of Germans, 69%, want tech brands to develop more ‘green’ products.
- Green Technology and Sustainability Market Challenges: 60% of Germans find it hard to trust tech companies’ sustainability claims.
- Sustainability in Germany Market Innovation: A total of 55% of 25 to 34-year-olds would be interested in apps that help them optimise their energy consumption at home.
- Germany Green Technology Trends: 37% of Germans say renting technology devices instead of buying them is a good way to live more sustainably.
The Future of the Sustainable Technology Market in Germany
Regulations regarding eco-friendly devices will become increasingly strict. Those brands in the German technology industry that anticipated them and used the time to establish environmentally friendly and cost-effective production processes will be able to gain a competitive advantage and share of the green technology and sustainability market size.
The challenge to gain Germans’ trust regarding green technology will continue, making trust a key prerequisite for brands to effectively go green. Brands in the sustainability in technology industry will be best placed by communicating transparently, including the challenges they’re facing and why devices are only partially made out of recycled materials.
Read on to discover more details or take a look at all of our German Technology and Telecoms Market Research.
Covered in this Report
Products: Smartphones, Apps, computers (desktop with tower unit, standard and laptops), tablets, smartwatches, TVs (standard and HD), static games consoles, voice controlled smart speakers, refurbished devices, smart thermostats, and many more.
Brands: Apple, Samsung, Google, Rewe, CHOOSE, Back Market, Refurbed, Yourfone, Oceanmata, Fairphone, and many more.
Expert Analysis from a Specialist in the Field
This report, written by Jan Urbanek, a leading analyst in the Technology & Telecoms sector, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight current trends in the green technology and sustainability market 2023, and adds expert context to the numbers.
As Germans are particularly willing to pay more for sustainability-related smartphone factors that can extend the device’s life, longevity is a way for brands to position devices as investments that are good for the planet and people’s wallets.
Jan Urbanek
Senior Analyst – Consumer Technology, Germany
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Market context
- Opportunities
- Graph 1: factors most willing to pay more for when buying a smartphone, ranked 1 to 3 (any rank), 2022
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MARKET DRIVERS
- The German economy
- Graph 2: key economic data, in real terms, 2019-24
- Impact of the economy on technology
- Graph 3: technology devices personally owned, by net monthly household income, 2022
- Graph 4: technology devices in the household, by net monthly household income, 2022
- Sustainability
- Graph 5: expected changes in behaviour due to rising prices, 2022
- Regulations
- Recycling
- Graph 6: quantity of electrical devices put on the market & collected for recycling, 2010-20
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WHAT CONSUMERS WANT AND WHY
- Sustainable technology activities
- Graph 7: activities involving technology devices/apps, 2022
- Graph 8: usage and interest in apps to optimise energy consumption at home, 2022
- Graph 9: usage and interest in apps to keep track of carbon footprint, 2022
- Barriers to buying refurbished devices
- Sustainability-related smartphone factors
- Graph 10: factors most willing to pay more for when buying a smartphone, ranked 1 to 3, 2022
- Graph 11: factors most willing to pay more for when buying a smartphone, selected factors, any rank from 1 to 3, by age, 2022
- Associations with technology brands
- Attitudes regarding sustainability in technology
- Graph 12: attitudes towards sustainability in technology, 2022
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LAUNCH ACTIVITY AND INNOVATION
- Advertising and marketing activity
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APPENDIX
- Appendix – abbreviations, consumer research methodology and language usage
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