Consumers Get Real about Sustainability Issues that Matter Most

The path to fighting climate change can feel like a daunting puzzle of jargon and tough choices. Sometimes, it can be hard to distinguish between what’s meaningful and what’s noise.

At Samsung, we are committed to a more sustainable future. And, we know that no company – or person – can do it alone. The Samsung Real Talk Sustainability Survey, conducted by Morning Consult, delves into the real issues consumers care about when it comes to having a more eco-conscious lifestyle – from the energy they use, to the clothes they wear, food they eat and more.

According to the survey, nearly half (48%) of U.S. adults make small sustainable actions on an ongoing basis, while about 1 in 5 (18%) have made reducing their impact on the environment one of their goals for the year. That’s good news as we seek to reduce our collective footprints. The biggest hurdle, however, is money. The majority of people (53%) said they are constrained by inflation and needing to save, and 48% are held back by the cost of sustainable goods.

“We want to empower people and educate them on practical and cost-effective ways they can join us in making a positive impact on the environment,” said Mark Newton, Head of Corporate Sustainability, Samsung Electronics America. “At Samsung, designing with the planet in mind doesn’t mean sacrificing performance. It’s what’s driving our innovation. From energy efficient products that help cut down utility bills to smart technology that maximizes productivity, we’re helping to make eco-conscious lifestyles more convenient than ever.”

The Ultimate “Green Flag” – Reducing Waste

According to the survey, those who are working towards acting more sustainably are primarily recycling/upcycling (77%) and reducing food waste (66%). The UN has called unmanaged waste a hidden cause of climate change.

Taking care of your devices and disposing of them properly is one way to alleviate landfill waste. Samsung provides convenient, accessible and quality care across the United States, so people can keep their mobile devices, PCs, consumer electronics and home appliances up and running longer. And when you are done, Samsung makes it easy to trade-in old products for a credit toward a new purchase, or we’ll recycle the contents of your tech junk drawer for free at more than 1,700 drop-off locations across the country. Every device adds to the 1.3 billion pounds of e-waste the company has repurposed or recycled in the U.S. since 2009. Additionally, innovations like the industry-first SolarCell Remote, help reduce waste from discarded used batteries. It can be re-charged by sunlight or indoor lighting, saving up to 200 million batteries from landfill over the next seven years.¹

When it comes to food waste, the right technology can serve up a healthy portion of inspiration. Approximately 7 in 10 U.S. adults feel guilty about food waste, driven by the lack of time or motivation to cook (29%) and the tendency to order delivery despite a fully stocked fridge (26%). Gen Z feel the heat in the kitchen the most with 39% feeling guilty when they don’t know what to cook.

This is where the new Samsung AI Family Hub™+ steps in. Advanced AI Vision Inside™ technology uses a built-in camera to identify a variety of fresh food items and automatically generates a list of what food users have in stock, right in the SmartThings app.² There, you can get recommendations for recipes that use the ingredients you have on hand.³ In addition to meal planning, this feature also lets you know what to buy at the grocery store, helping reduce excess purchases – or the dreaded trip back for something you missed.

Taming Energy Hogs

The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that the average American shells out $2,000 every year on energy bills. It’s no wonder that two-thirds of U.S. adults are actively looking to reduce their energy costs at home, according to the survey. And they believe introducing connected tech can help — over half (52%) of Millennials said they’d have less arguments with their housemates if they had access to a smart home that could automate energy and water usage, turn lights on/off, and track which devices are increasing utility bills.

SmartThings Energy in the SmartThings app helps you take control of your carbon footprint and cut your energy bills by letting you check your home energy use from anywhere. Use the service to manage the energy usage of any of your devices that work with SmartThings, create energy-saving routines, get impactful tips, and use AI Energy Mode to maximize your energy use based on your habits at home. Best of all, it gives peace of mind that energy-savings are in your hands.

Unraveling the Fast Fashion Paradox

Increasingly, consumers are more aware than ever how the clothes they wear can have an impact on the planet. Nearly half of Gen Z (47%) believe that wearing fast fashion while caring about climate change is totally contradictory, and 44% are focusing on buying quality products that will stand the test of time.

Samsung products are designed to last, with sustainability in mind. For example, the Galaxy S24 Series features a recycled metal frame for enhanced structural integrity. This not only prolongs the lifespan of the device but also reduces the need for frequent replacements, contributing to a more sustainable consumption cycle. Additionally, the Galaxy S24 is the first Galaxy device to incorporate steel and pre-consumer recycled Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU), further minimizing our environmental footprint while maintaining high standards of performance and quality.

Finally, according to the survey, 44% of consumers are changing their laundry habits with sustainability top of mind as well. Fortunately, Samsung products are also designed to save time and money – our washers can help reduce your water consumption by 33% and your energy consumption by 25%, with cycles, settings, and features available to maximize efficiency.

For more information on Samsung’s sustainability efforts, visit Samsung.com.

About the “Real Talk Sustainability Survey”

The research was conducted in April 2024 by Morning Consult on behalf of Samsung Electronics America to understand what’s driving consumers to adopt sustainable practices today. The study is based on a nationally representative sample of approximately 2,000 general population of consumers from across the United States, with a margin of error of +/- 2%.

¹ Estimate is based on expected sales volume and average usage period of related products.

² AI Vision Inside can recognize and automatically label 33 unobscured fresh food items such as select fruits and vegetables; other items may be manually labeled. Results vary by manner of placement.

³ Get personalized recipe recommendations, search for and follow video recipes, and access your favorite apps, all from the 32” LCD Display. **Recipe recommendations and Bixby accessible through the Hub utilize AI (deep learning models).