New Book by Simon-Kucher Experts Helps Businesses Align with Evolving Consumer Values
Simon-Kucher, a leading growth consultancy, has released a new book, The Demand Revolution: How Consumers Are Redefining Sustainability and Transforming the Future of Business.
Co-authored by Simon-Kucher experts Dr. Andreas von der Gathen, Nicolai Broby Eckert, and Caroline Kastbjerg, the book introduces eight distinct consumer archetypes and offers businesses practical insights into aligning strategies with diverse sustainability values.
“There is no single ‘sustainable consumer,’” explains Nicolai Broby Eckert, Senior Partner at Simon-Kucher. “Our research reveals eight unique profiles, reflecting the wide variety of attitudes toward sustainability. These archetypes give companies the tools to build stronger, more meaningful customer connections.”
The Eight Archetypes of Sustainable Consumers:
- Champions: Fully committed to sustainability, willing to pay a premium to support their green values (8 percent of consumers).
- Image Driven: Prioritize sustainability in categories that enhance their personal image, such as beauty or fashion (10 percent of consumers).
- Planet Savers: Live sustainably by adjusting habits but resist paying a premium for sustainable options (13 percent of consumers).
- Thoughtfuls: Highly informed and willing to pay extra, though to a lesser extent than Champions (9 percent of consumers).
- Cost Conscious: Care about sustainability but prioritize affordability, often defaulting to the lowest-cost option (18 percent of consumers).
- Selectives: Support sustainability in specific areas, often tied to added personal benefits like health or cost savings (8 percent of consumers).
- Skeptics: Believe in climate change but distrust companies' sustainability claims and doubt individual purchasing power (19 percent of consumers).
- Non-Believers: Do not prioritize sustainability in purchasing decisions under any circumstances (15 percent of consumers).
“Our research shows that 85 percent of consumers are open to sustainable options, but they want them to be accessible, affordable, and authentic,” says Dr. Andreas von der Gathen, Senior Partner and co-CEO at Simon-Kucher. “Businesses must move past one-size-fits-all strategies and tailor their approach to meet the diverse values of these eight archetypes.”
The Demand Revolution equips business leaders with actionable insights into tapping sustainable demand by understanding consumer diversity. Published by The MIT Press, the book is now available and is part of the Management on the Cutting Edge series.
About Simon-Kucher
Simon-Kucher is a global consultancy with more than 2,000 employees in 31 countries. Our sole focus is on unlocking better growth that drives measurable revenue and profit for our clients. We achieve this by optimizing every lever of their commercial strategy – product, price, innovation, marketing, and sales – based on deep insights into what customers want and value. With nearly 40 years of experience in monetization topics of all kinds, we are regarded as the world’s leading pricing and growth specialist.