New research from WEFT found that over 70% of UK adults indicated they would like to see an extended producer responsibility scheme for textiles introduced.
WEFT & QSA Partners have investigated consumer tolerance to extended producer responsibility (EPR) fees on clothing.
The purpose of the research was to determine consumer acceptance thresholds for EPR fees and identify at what price points these fees might begin to alter purchasing decisions.
It also explored whether a charge could increase funding for recycling and reuse systems, and encourage more sustainable fashion choices, without putting off consumers from making purchases.
The research was led by WEFT and QSA Partners, and delivered by Icaro Consulting with funding support from the University of Leeds Back 2 Baselines research programme.
The study involved four focus groups and a survey of 1,762 UK adults taken from a nationally representative sample who purchased clothing within the last 6 months.
The key findings included that most consumers said a £0.50 charge per item would go ‘largely unnoticed’, even on low-cost clothing.
Consumers indicated they were also ‘unlikely to notice’ a charge of £1.00 per item on higher-priced items (above £40).
Higher charges of up to £5.00 per item were needed to influence customer decision-making between ‘more sustainable’ and ‘less sustainable’ products. The report says responses were consistent across all income groups surveyed.
A visible £0.50 to £1.00 charge on clothing could raise £2-£4 billion per year in the UK based on 4 billion items of clothing and accessories being sold each year in the UK, the report says.
Over 80% of those surveyed supported having the EPR charge clearly shown at the point of purchase.
People in the focus groups prefer the word ‘charge’ over ‘fee’, and are more comfortable when the purpose of the charge is clearly explained.
The research also found that while most people said they care about the environment in principle, their clothing choices were still led by price, comfort, and fit.
Sustainability tends to matter more when it’s made easy and visible, especially for those who shop for clothes more frequently, the report says.
Based on the research, WEFT says more research into visible EPR charges is needed to test the £0.50 to £1.00 per item tolerance level in more detail and to test how charge levels and labelling influence real-world shopping behaviour.
WEFT also says colour-coded labels should be considered to communicate the environmental impact of products.
