Coffee is more than just a drink; it is a reflection of personal values, especially as growing interest in ethically sourced coffee shapes how we choose what we consume.
In honor of Earth Day, we polled 300+ Lofty Coffee customers and discovered an interesting sustainability trend: we are unified in our desire to care for our planet, yet wildly diverse in our approaches and understanding of how to best help.
Deep Down, People Want to Do Good
More than 60% of respondents say they do not associate their daily coffee habit with having an environmental impact.
On the surface, these results seem to demonstrate that people do not care about ethically sourced coffee.
However, digging deeper into the survey findings reveals a more nuanced explanation. Perhaps, consumers simply are not educated on all the links between coffee and sustainability. These links are near and dear to us at Lofty Coffee, so we’re excited to share!
Grounds for Sustainability
So, what is “sustainable coffee?”
In layman’s terms: sustainable coffee is produced in ways that protect the environment, support farmers, and ensure fair working conditions and compliance of regulations.
When asked how important “environmental sustainability” is when purchasing coffee, a strong majority of consumers, more than 74%, say it is a priority.
Specifically, ~41% rate it as somewhat important, nearly 22% as very important, and roughly 12% as extremely important. So, you care, you really, really care!
Sipping on the Side of Society
With a clear interest in supporting sustainability, which sustainability labels matter most when deciding between coffees?
Only 4% of respondents are either unlikely or very unlikely to purchase coffee labeled “organic,” “fair trade,” or “sustainably sourced.” A whopping 74% say they are likely or very likely to buy coffee with those monikers.
When given a choice, people side with fairness and sustainability. Those labels include easy-to-understand language. Putting them front and center on packaging makes it easy for people to make decisions that help the Earth and the workers and producers of the beans.
Label Me Confused
But not all labels are created equal.
When asked about the labels “shade-grown” or “bird friendly,” 50% of respondents said they don’t even know what those mean. An additional 30% said these labels don’t influence their decision.
Thus, only 20% of respondents say knowing if the coffee is shade-grown or bird friendly would motivate them to buy it.
If you fall under that other 80%, let’s fill you in. What do these labels mean?
Shade-grown coffee is grown under a canopy of trees to mirror its natural habitat. It is bird-friendly and biodiverse because winged friends can still dwell in the area. This is a great remedy for deforestation, which has been a significant problem for bird populations.
In addition to providing homes for the birds, the coffee cherries ripen slowly when in the shade, which makes for a more complex flavor. The opposite is “sun coffee,” which means the coffee is grown in direct sunlight to maximize the speed and quantity produced. If you know, you know — and now you know!
A Latte Pressure on Household Budgets
Another common factor in purchasing habits for anything is budget. So, how does budget play a part when it comes to sustainable coffee?
Respondents are evenly split about whether they would pay more for coffee packaged in compostable or recyclable materials.
Slightly more than 50% of the respondents say they would pay more for sustainably packaged coffee, whereas just over 49% say they wouldn’t.
If recyclable material becomes more affordable, this could become a non-issue, especially when reflecting on people’s willingness to purchase coffee with environmentally friendly labels.
BYOC: Bring Your Own Cup
Waste is often overlooked when considering sustainable coffee practices. Coffee (and tea) lovers can cut down on waste by bringing a reusable cup from home, but do we actually partake in this sustainable practice? Not nearly as much as we should!
Nearly 42% of respondents say they never bring their own cup to a coffee shop, and about 45% of respondents sometimes or rarely bring their own cup to the shop. Only about 12% bring it most of the time or every time.
Cafes can make this a habit by more prominently advertising that bringing your own cup is a viable option. After all, everyone has their favorite mug at home; why not use it when you go out for coffee, too?
The Consequences of Choices
More proof that people want to do right by the Earth comes from the results of the next question we asked: how important are the environmental and climate impacts when choosing coffee?
About 66% of respondents say environmental and climate impacts weigh into their coffee choices. Of the 66%, the majority (34%) say it is “somewhat important,” 19% say “very important,” and 13% say “extremely important.”
Thankfully, the data confirms people care about the consequences of their actions.
Coffee’s Carbon Footprint
In fact, the evidence continues to mount when looking at the survey results regarding a coffee brand’s carbon footprint.
Most people (54% of respondents) say they are either somewhat interested (39%) or very interested (15%) in learning about the carbon footprint of their coffee.
The carbon footprint refers to the total greenhouse gases produced by human actions in the production and distribution of coffee and other products. The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) explains that transportation, roasting, packaging, and brewing methods factor into the carbon footprint.
Also, the CDP reminds readers that black coffee has a smaller carbon footprint than lattes because of the intensity of dairy production. Consumers are looking for transparency about the supply chain and practices of the coffee makers.
What’s Most Important to Coffee Consumers
Of the most pressing matters surrounding sustainable coffee practices, what’s the most important to our average coffee drinker?
We brought up these six common concerns:
- Carbon neutrality
- Fair trade sourcing
- Livable farmer wages
- Plastic-free packaging
- Regenerative farming
- Supply chain transparency
Then, we asked our respondents to rank them on a scale of 1 (not at all likely) to 5 (extremely likely) of how likely they are to influence their purchases.
Livable farm wages and plastic-free packaging are the most important sustainable coffee issues.
When looking at the proportion of respondents that ranked these issues as “extremely likely” to influence their purchase decisions, we see a similar picture.
33% of respondents say livable farmer wages are extremely likely to influence their decision on a coffee purchase.
In addition, 32% are extremely likely to consider plastic-free packaging when buying coffee. Fair trade sourcing, which is a certification system to ensure farmers get paid fairly, is extremely likely to impact purchasing decisions, according to about 32% of respondents.
While people don’t have as “extreme” opinions on carbon neutrality, more than 60% of respondents still say it is an important issue to them.
3 Easy Ways Coffee Drinkers Can Help Save the Earth
Coffee sustainability is a topic that is percolating among consumers. They are getting educated and considering the consequences of their purchases.
People want to do right by their communities and the environment. As a result, they are considering the implications of how products like coffee are produced and distributed. And they are making more informed decisions about the coffee they drink and the coffee shops they frequent.
If you’re just starting the journey of educating yourself, consider these three sustainable actions:
- Look for labels like fair trade sourcing, organic, ethically sourced, bird friendly, shade-grown, etc.
- Consider the packaging of the coffee. Aim for plastic-free, recyclable, or compostable materials.
- Bring your cup from home to get filled at your favorite coffee shop, which prioritizes selling ethically sourced coffee.
While, yes, these practices cumulatively require more effort than I’m sure most are used to, it’s well worth it to ensure our choices keep the earth and those inhabiting it safe.
Methodology
Lofty Coffee Co., a company committed to ethically sourcing its food and drink, commissioned this survey of customers to learn what they think about coffee sustainability. More than 300 customers responded with about 46% saying they drink coffee once a day and about 37% saying they drink it more than once a day.
The majority of respondents are between the ages of 35 and 44. More than 70% identify as female. Most (nearly 87%) are from San Diego/Southern California or somewhere else in California (nearly 4%), which is to be expected because of the locations of Lofty Coffee.
