Finch, a platform that helps consumers make healthier, more sustainable purchasing decisions, today released its inaugural State of the Sustainable Consumer Report, alongside the launch of a redesigned Finch platform built to help consumers cut through greenwashing claims and make evidence-based purchasing decisions.

The report draws on Finch’s June 2026 survey of 600 U.S. consumers conducted by Pollfish, an independent packaging analysis of 40 leading wellness brands, and broader market research. Its central finding is that sustainability has become a mainstream consideration for both businesses and consumers, but it is rarely the deciding factor at checkout or in deciding new product SKUs.

Among the report’s key findings:

  • The say-do gap is real. 80.5% of consumers say sustainability influences their purchasing decisions, but only 6.4% rank it as their top priority. Affordability and product performance remain the two biggest barriers to choosing more sustainable products.

  • Price has a ceiling. 62% of consumers say they’re willing to pay more for sustainable products, but most cap that premium at 10% or less, meaning brands can’t market their way past the value equation.

  • “Clean” brands have a packaging problem. More than three-quarters of premium wellness brands now sell products in single-serve formats, despite sustainability-driven positioning. Most rely on multi-layer flexible packaging that most curbside recycling programs can’t process.

  • Growth is outpacing substance. Sustainability-marketed CPG products captured more than 25% dollar share in 2025, growing nearly five times faster than conventional products. But much of that growth comes from existing products slapping on new sustainability claims, not genuinely new, more sustainable products entering the market.

Beyond the survey, the report examines emerging packaging innovations, such as refill systems, concentrated products, and mono-material materials, and how tightening regulation is reshaping brand decisions. It also introduces the inaugural Finch Packaging Leaderboard, which scores 15 personal care brands against five weighted criteria, including packaging design, material reduction (e.g., refill or waterless formats and verified recycled content), disposal transparency and honest labeling, and format trajectory.

“Over the last decade, sustainability has become a baseline expectation, but is still far from a deciding factor. But, it’s also been oversimplified,” said Lizzie Horvitz, Founder and CEO of Finch. “Consumers aren’t choosing between ‘sustainable’ and ‘not sustainable’ products. They’re constantly trading off environmental impact against convenience and performance, and doing so differently depending on the category. What that creates is a disconnect between positioning and real-world decision-making, where strong eco-positioning can coexist with packaging and formats that carry meaningful environmental tradeoffs.”

The report also highlights broader contradictions shaping today’s sustainability marketplace. Sustainability-marketed consumer packaged goods reached more than 25% dollar share in 2025, growing nearly five times faster than conventional products. Yet much of that growth reflects existing products adopting new sustainability claims, not necessarily the introduction of more sustainable products.

The findings suggest that the challenge is no longer whether consumers care about sustainability, but how it is weighed against price, performance, and convenience.

A redesigned platform for a noisier marketplace: Finch 2.0

The report’s release coincides with the launch of Finch’s revamped consumer platform, offering rigorous, research-backed product recommendations, in-depth guides, and original reporting. The new site includes a newsletter and more personal Substack written by Finch Founder and CEO Lizzie Horvitz, helping readers evaluate products across factors that matter most, including performance, affordability, convenience, and environmental impact.

The 2026 State of the Sustainable Consumer Report marks the first installment in what Finch plans as an annual research series tracking consumer behavior, brand practices, and emerging sustainability trends. The Report is available for $19.99, or free of charge to Finch subscribers, as well as students and educators.

About Finch

Finch is a platform that aims to empower consumers to make healthier, more sustainable purchasing decisions. The company’s mission is to make living sustainably a little less intimidating – and a lot more actionable. Finch operates as a trusted online resource hub, offering rigorous research-backed product recommendations, in-depth guides, and evidence-based content that meets consumers where they already are: searching for answers. Finch delivers independent, accessible guidance across categories, from household products to travel and fashion.

To learn more, visit choosefinch.com.

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