What Do Sustainable Lifestyles Look Like Across 12 Countries? Insights from the Latest Survey! Part 1

In July 2021, Dentsu Global Business Center and DENTSU SOKEN INC. jointly conducted the " Sustainable Lifestyle Awareness Survey 2021 " across 12 countries (Japan, Germany, UK, USA, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam). We will examine these survey results in three parts.

This installment provides an overview of the key findings. Future articles will delve deeper into specific themes based on the survey results, such as sustainable consumption behaviors and Generation Z's attitudes toward carbon neutrality.

<Table of Contents>
▼Such Differences Across Countries! Social Issues of Interest
▼China's Ban on "Food Waste"
▼ UK Charity Culture Also Supports Eco-Friendly Practices
▼Global Environment or Personal Happiness? Perceptions of "Sustainability"
▼Few Nations Envision a Circular Society by 2030?
▼Future-Oriented ASEAN
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Social Issues of Concern Vary So Much Across Countries!

In Japan, when asked "What are the social issues?", many people likely think of "declining birthrates and aging populations". Looking at the results from 12 countries, it's clear there are significant regional differences in the social issues people care about. Particularly noteworthy is that "marine plastic waste" garners the highest interest in Germany, the UK, and Singapore.

In Europe, marine plastic waste has gained attention as a socially important issue to tackle. Examples of efforts to raise awareness and solve marine pollution problems are increasing, such as multiple professional soccer teams wearing uniforms made from recycled ocean plastic.

Furthermore, the high ranking of "healthcare systems and facilities" in the United States, where a national health insurance system does not exist, and the high ranking of "public health" in ASEAN countries, suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted people's lives.

Furthermore, in China, India, and Vietnam, concern is growing over environmental issues like "air pollution" and "water pollution/water scarcity." Major cities in these countries are recording high air pollution index values, suggesting people are actually experiencing its effects in their daily lives.

Additionally, "Racial Discrimination" ranks highly only in the United States. This likely reflects the momentum of racial discrimination protests, such as the " " and "Stop Asian Hate" movements, which developed into nationwide demonstrations from 2020 to 2021.

China bans "leaving food uneaten"

In China and the Philippines, the practice of "taking leftover food home from restaurants" is common among 60-70% of people. In China, it was already customary for diners to order more food than needed, anticipating taking leftovers home. Furthermore, at the end of April 2021, the "Anti-Food Waste Law" prohibiting food loss came into effect, establishing various penalties.

For example, restaurant staff are obligated to encourage customers to order appropriate portions. If customers over-order, the restaurant can be fined up to 10,000 yuan (approximately 170,000 yen). Conversely, restaurants can also charge customers for the cost of disposing of leftovers. Thus, in China, both customers and restaurants are now compelled to be mindful of reducing food waste.

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The UK's Charity Culture is Also Eco-Friendly

The UK ranked first in "donating or selling used items/books." Charity shops are so established in the UK that data shows they account for about 4% of all retail stores. Charity shops are run by specific charitable organizations with clear causes, such as poverty eradication, support for the elderly and children, or research into heart disease and cancer. Most items sold there are donations from citizens.

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From the UK Charity Retail Association website

Many households prepare "donation bags" during spring cleaning or seasonal wardrobe changes. Instead of discarding outgrown children's clothes, unwanted souvenirs, or curtains no longer needed after redecorating, they donate these items to charity shops. While the proliferation of flea market apps in Japan has made buying and selling unwanted items more accessible, compared to countries like the UK, the options for disposing of unwanted goods remain limited, and the practice of donating is not yet firmly established.

Global Environment or Personal Happiness? The Image of "Sustainability"

The word "sustainability" also evokes different images depending on the country. In seven countries—Japan, the US, the UK, Germany, China, India, and Singapore—both "global environment" and "circular society/circular economy" ranked highly, indicating that sustainability is primarily associated with the global environment. Characteristically, "responsibility/obligation" also ranked highly in the UK and Germany.

In contrast, in Asia, elements indicating industrial growth, such as "development" and "technological progress," were also prominent, suggesting an image of "sustainability" encompassing the economy. Furthermore, in Thailand and Malaysia, "well-being" and "harmony" ranked highly, indicating a strong association with personal happiness and societal "sustainability."

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Few countries envision a circular society arriving by "2030"?

Regarding associations with the term "2030," "digital" and "technological progress" ranked highly across all countries. Many nations associated dynamic, positive images like "development," "growth," and "transformation," but Japan, like ten years ago, had "anxiety" ranking highly. Furthermore, only the UK ranked "circular society/circular economy" highly.

2030 is the target year for achieving the SDGs adopted by the UN in 2015. Yet for many people, the image of 2030 remains one of "advanced digital technology," virtually unchanged since 2010, before the SDGs were established. While there is momentum for a sustainable future beyond solely economic growth, it seems that many countries still struggle to fully envision a circular and balanced future.

Future-Oriented ASEAN

Vietnam, Indonesia, and China show high percentages (70-80%) of respondents who "can accept cost burdens like environmental taxes." Furthermore, a higher proportion of people in these countries feel they are "doing what they can to pass on to the next generation" rather than feeling "struggling just to maintain their current lifestyle."

Indonesia stands out with 66.3% of respondents—the highest among the 12 countries—stating they "are doing what they can to pass things on to the next generation." When asked what the term "sustainability" evokes, "children/next generation" ranked highly. Possibly influenced by relatively high birth rates within ASEAN (※2), children are a more immediate presence, leading to frequent consideration of the next generation in daily life.

Conversely, in economically advanced countries (※3), there was a tendency to be reluctant to bear costs like environmental taxes and to prioritize protecting current lifestyles over passing on to future generations. A fascinating aspect of this survey is that individual attitudes show the opposite trend to the prevailing view that climate change is a global issue requiring economically advanced countries to take the lead in accepting cost burdens.

People evaluate their own financial comfort relatively, considering their country's cultural and living standards. In economically advanced nations where income disparities widen, many may prioritize maintaining their own lives over environmental protection.

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Referenced the UN database "World Population Prospects 2019" for Crude birth rate (births per 1,000 population). Among the six ASEAN countries surveyed, the Philippines had the highest birth rate since 2015, followed by Indonesia.
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The definition of "economically advanced countries" in this survey follows the "economically advanced countries" published by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 2017, which includes Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Singapore.

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While each country has its own distinct characteristics, the overall survey highlights ASEAN's proactive stance toward sustainable living, mindful of future generations.

The stagnant mood caused by the COVID-19 pandemic persists, and a vague sense of unease about the uncertain future continues. Perhaps now more than ever, we need hopeful calls to action—to carefully accumulate small actions to bring about positive change. Imagination and hope may well be the keys to the widespread adoption of sustainable lifestyles.

[Survey Overview]
Title: "Sustainable Lifestyle Awareness Survey 2021"
Survey Method: Internet survey
Conducted by: Dentsu Inc., DENTSU SOKEN INC.
Survey Period: July 8–20, 2021
Countries Surveyed: 12 countries (Japan, Germany, UK, USA, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam)
Sample Size: 4,800 people
Target Criteria: 500 men and women aged 18–69; 300 men and women aged 18–44 in 6 ASEAN countries
Japan: 500, Germany: 500, UK: 500, USA: 500, China: 500, India: 500,
Indonesia: 300, Malaysia: 300, Philippines: 300, Singapore: 300,
Thailand: 300 people, Vietnam: 300 people
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Details here