Sipping Sustainably

As climate change becomes more personally felt through extreme weather and supply chain disruptions, consumers are increasingly drawn to beverages that prioritize environmental and ethical responsibility through traceable ingredients and supply chains that support positive social change.

Key Drivers

This dynamic is driven by consumers’ growing first-hand experience of climate change, either through extreme weather events that have become more frequent (extended heatwaves in Europe, for example), or due to supply chain disruptions upending everyday purchases. As these impacts become more tangible, interest in and commitment to sustainability continues to be a point of focus for consumers.

How This Trend is Manifesting

01.

Reducing Environmental Impact

There is a growing movement towards sustainable food practices (40% of consumers globally say food and water waste is one of their top environmental concerns, Worldpanel by Numerator, 2025), with efforts focused on reducing environmental impact through eco-friendly sourcing, packaging, production and logistics.

02.

Traceability & Transparency

Brands and consumers are increasingly embracing traceability, in 2025, over half of all global coffee launches (52%) carried an ethical or environmental claim – more than double the share in 2010 (20%) (Mintel, 2025) – as companies work to improve transparency, ethical sourcing and supply-chain visibility.

03.

People-Focused Sustainability

Sustainability efforts are increasingly focusing on people, with initiatives like farmer education programs, empowering communities, promoting ethical practices, and supporting communities at origin.

This Trend in Action

Counter Culture Coffee: Supports the belief that everyone deserves to make a living wage. To ensure this, it pays above ‘market price for all coffees’ and focusses on forward contracts to give security to farmers. It combines all this with rigorous transparency, publishing the price they pay for every coffee for all to see, so consumers have clarity about the product, origin and price.

Milos’s Tea: Milo’s Tea "re-earths" its tea leaves by sending them to a top-soil company to compost and create nutrient dense soils. In 2023 alone, the brand re-earthed over 10,000 tons of used tea leaves. Its genuine environmental commitments, paired with a strong value proposition, have helped the brand grow 19% YoY (Nielsen, 2025), proving sustainability isn’t just good for the planet, but also good for business.

Top Tips to Access This Trend in 2026

Lean into the consumer desire for ‘guilt-free’ consumption by clearly labeling sustainability credentials on packaging.

Emphasize transparency across the supply chain by spotlighting sourcing practices. Sharing details on ingredients origins, framing methods and supplier partnerships strengthens credibility and builds trust.

Consider the ‘human’ element of sustainability, weave the tangible impacts of social initiatives into storytelling to emotionally connect with consumers.

What’s Next?

We expect sustainability will remain a priority for consumers globally, with growing attention placed on the connection between environmental issues and our health. Rising concerns over microplastics (globally, almost a quarter (23%) of consumers say their worries about microplastics are increasing (Worldpanel by Numerator, Who Cares Who Does, 2025), and heightened awareness of how extreme heat impacts public health are driving this shift. Brands and operators that demonstrate genuine and consistent efforts to reduce their environmental footprint, through initiatives like waste reduction and supply chain traceability, will stand out. They will resonate with the growing belief that meaningful progress on sustainability rests in the hands of governments and corporations (Globally, only 20% of consumers strongly believe they can make a difference through the actions and choices they make alone (Worldpanel by Numerator, Who Cares Who Does, 2025).

What do consumers value most when making sustainable beverage choices?

Reducing Environmental Impact: lower carbon footprint, less waste, eco-friendly packaging.
Traceability & Transparency: knowing the origin, sourcing, and production practices.
People-Focused Sustainability: fair wages, ethical labour, and community support.
All equally important: a comprehensive approach to sustainability.