Young consumers are thinking about climate change quite often, but their relationship with sustainability is anything but simple. They care deeply, feel hopeful about collective action, and want to make better choices—yet mixed messages, rising costs, and skepticism around what actually makes an impact complicate their efforts. What does “doing sustainability right” really look like to young consumers? And where do brands fit in as they try to balance values and affordability?
YPulse’s 2026 Sustainability report explores how young people are feeling about climate change now, how they’re trying to shop sustainably, and the eco-friendly actions that would make them more likely to buy from a brand.
Report length: 19 pages, North America report is based on surveys of 1500 13-39-year-olds in the U.S. and Canada, fielded December 2025. Western Europe report is based on a survey of 2500 13-39-year-olds in the U.K., Italy, Spain, France, and Germany, fielded in December 2025
