- Half of UK consumers plan to increase their adoption of green behaviors and choices over the next five years, despite cost concerns and a lack of understanding about greener technologies.
- The survey shows that more people expect to drive electric vehicles, use energy-efficient appliances, heat pumps, and solar panels, and opt for green energy suppliers in the next five years.
- Motivations for going green include environmental concerns, awareness of clean technologies, and the belief that it can lead to long-term cost savings. This shift towards greener choices is expected to boost the UK green economy.
- A separate survey revealed a lack of awareness or adherence to pedestrian safety rules among UK drivers, raising concerns about road safety for environment-friendly cyclists and pedestrians.
According to a recent survey conducted by Opinium Research, half of UK consumers plan to increase their adoption of green behaviors and choices over the next five years despite perceived barriers, such as cost concerns and a lack of understanding about greener technologies.
The survey, which involved 2,000 UK adults, revealed that 92% of respondents believe they already engage in at least one green action in their daily lives, such as recycling, cycling or walking instead of driving, and purchasing green products.
EVs and energy efficiency: The future of UK sustainable lifestyle
The survey highlighted electric vehicles (EVs) as the action set to receive the biggest boost in the next five years. While only 5% of respondents currently drive an EV, 23% stated their expectation to do so within the next half decade. Additionally, the use of energy-efficient appliances is projected to rise from 33% to 48%, and the use of heat pumps is set to triple from 3% to 10%. The adoption of solar panels is also expected to increase from 7% to 19%, while the number of people opting for green energy suppliers may almost double from 17% to 30%.
Motivations for undertaking greener actions were primarily driven by environmental concerns (64%), increased awareness of clean technologies (43%), and the belief that going green will result in long-term cost savings (37%). Nigel Pocklington, CEO of Good Energy, commented that these findings indicate a significant boost for the UK green economy as consumers increasingly shift towards greener products and services.
Also read: Google invests $1 billion in green UK data centre
Lack of awareness threatens pedestrian safety among UK drivers
In related news, a separate survey conducted by the Royal Automobile Club (RAC) revealed that over half of UK drivers (51%) feel uncertain about whether changes to the Highway Code, implemented two years ago, have made roads safer for cyclists and pedestrians. The RAC survey suggests a lack of awareness or adherence to pedestrian safety rules among drivers, with only 23% stating that they always give way to pedestrians when pulling out of a junction.
RAC road safety spokesperson Rod Dennis expressed concern over this lack of awareness and urged the government to communicate the changes to the Code to all road users more effectively.
“Part of the reason may be that drivers simply don’t know that the changes have been made, least of all the consequences of ignoring them,” said Dennis. “Most drivers probably rarely refer to the Highway Code once they’ve passed their tests, and that’s where the problem could lie.”
