Kantar study: how brands should approach sustainable marketing in a context of geopolitical tensions and growing economic pressures.
Study: Building effective sustainability marketing in 2026 »
BUCHAREST, February 12: Growing concerns about war, security and economic pressure are increasingly taking up people’s mental space, making them feel exhausted rather than disinterested in climate issues. The Sustainability Sector Index 2026 study conducted by Kantar, a global leader in advanced marketing analytics and analytics with integrated AI, shows that, although the level of climate concern has decreased slightly compared to last year, the demand for brands that generate a positive impact on the environment and society remains strong.
The survey conducted by Kantar on a sample of 13,000 people in 12 markets shows that, globally, the main concerns of consumers are wars and conflicts (36%), environmental issues (29%), the economy (28%), followed by crime and personal safety (20%). While concern about the climate has decreased compared to the previous year, fears about violence, politics and corruption have increased over the same period.
Commenting on the results of the study, Madalin Vladu, Brand & Sustainability Lead at Kantar Romania, said: „The Romanian consumer is „overwhelmed” by the fear of war and economic instability. Romania has a massive concern about international conflicts and wars (58%), well above the global average of 36%. This reflects the region’s geographical proximity and increased sensitivity to current tensions. While globally the economy is mentioned by 28% of people, in Romania this percentage is at a similar level (29%) but with a significant increase of +7pp compared to the previous year, indicating an increasingly acute financial pressure on households. It is remarkable that Romanians are more concerned about health (20%) compared to the global average (14%), even if this concern has decreased slightly lately. Concerns about governance, corruption and social issues are growing slightly in Romania, indicating interest in civic and social responsibility. »
Commenting on how brands should act in this context, Karine Trinquetel, Head of Offer, Sustainable Transformation Practice at Kantar, said: „For brands, it may be tempting to reduce their sustainability communication efforts, but this is not the time to retreat. Brands that slow down now will pay off later because brand equity builds over time, and environmental concerns will inevitably return. At the same time, it is essential to recognise the political and economic turbulence we are all going through and to make the right and sustainable choice easier for people.”
And this is because, at the same time, 74% of respondents globally and 64% in Romania, say that they have tried or are open to trying brands with a positive impact on the environment or society (up 2 percentage points compared to the previous year, both globally and in Romania), which indicates that the demand for more sustainable options and lifestyles remains high.
The study also shows that the level of skepticism and concerns about greenwashing remain high among consumers globally. The majority of respondents (57%) say they have seen or heard false or misleading information about sustainable actions taken by brands. Globally, the sectors perceived as the most guilty of greenwashing are big tech (63%), news media (62%) and energy (60%) according to consumers. In Romania, those who say they have seen or heard false or misleading information from brands related to sustainability is somewhat lower, they are only 48%, but it is up by 9pp compared to 2023. And the sectors most frequently mentioned by Romanian consumers are: supermarkets/hypermarkets (65%), big tech (61%) and news media (58%).
„Big tech brands generate concerns for consumers about the social division that their products can accentuate, for example, by promoting misinformation or by introducing algorithmic biases into the content displayed,” added Madalin Vladu.
Although fears about greenwashing are widespread, not all sectors are affected to the same extent by sustainability expectations. First introduced in this year’s study, the Consumer Sustainability Pressure Index highlights sectors where sustainability pressure is the hardest for brands to ignore, based on the level of spread, diversity and intensity of consumer concerns.
AI-powered tools are in the group of sectors with the least pressure, with 28% of respondents globally stating that they cannot name any sustainability issues associated with AI. In contrast, the oil and gas, fast food, and cleaning and home care sectors are perceived as having the highest climate risks, occupying the top three positions after this indicator.
| Consumer Pressure for Sustainability Index – Global | |
| Top 3 | Last 3 |
| Oil & Gas / Gas Stations | AI tools |
| Fast food | Telecom |
| Cleaning products | Recreation and leisure activities outside the home |
Mădălin Vladu continued: „We know that perceptions of sustainability contribute significantly to brand value – they can represent up to 10% of the brand equity of the 100 most valuable global brands, according to the BrandZ ranking. The first step in building brand capital through sustainability is to understand the forces that shape consumers’ lives and priorities, but also the realities of the sector in which you operate. This is essential to position yourself in a way that is significantly different for consumers. Brands that communicate on the wrong topics, in the wrong way, or that follow the wrong strategies miss this opportunity and jeopardize their customers’ trust.”
Read the full report on kantar.com. Study: Building effective sustainability marketing in 2026 »
About Kantar
Kantar is a world leader in advanced marketing analytics with integrated AI and an indispensable partner for the world’s leading brands and companies. We combine the most relevant data on attitudes and behaviors with deep expertise and advanced analytics to understand how people think and act. We help clients understand what happened, why it happened, and how to shape the marketing strategies that shape their future.
Methodology
The 2026 edition of the Kantar Sustainability Sector Index is based on a survey of 13,000 respondents from 12 markets, conducted in November 2025, with an equal weight given to the three regions included: Americas, MEA and Europe.
About Kantar’s Consumer Sustainability Pressure Index (CSPI)
CSPI combines three consumer perception signals:
- Size of concern – how many people associate at least one sustainability issue with the sector;
- Diversity of concerns – how many different sustainability issues consumers mention for that sector;
- Intensity of worry – how strong the association is with the most frequently mentioned problem.
The result is a balanced measure that reflects both the scale and intensity of sustainability concerns for each sector.
Study: Building effective sustainability marketing in 2026 »
