Can we shop our way to sustainability?

“Can we shop our way to sustainability?” was the topic for a lively seminar Forum for the Future held last Monday evening.

"Yes - under certain conditions" came the answer from the majority of our panel: Lord Adair Turner, the new Chairman of the Government’s Committee on Climate Change; Lucy Siegle from the Observer; and Lucy Neville-Rolfe from Tesco.

Environmental guru Roger Levett was more doubtful – a view shared by the delegates. Just 29 per cent answered “yes” to the question in our snap entry poll; support fell to 22 per cent in a post-event survey. So what persuaded our attendees – 100 thinkers from industry, academia and NGOs – that something more complex is required?

The solutions to sustainable consumption are clearly not as simple as our poll question implied. Widespread agreement emerged on the range of changes needed: better information to empower consumers; careful framing of the alternatives in supermarkets; and removing the most unsustainable products - "choice editing" – altogether from the shelves.

So what are the barriers to making sustainable consumption a reality today? How can we change consumer behaviour effectively? And what might be the ideal consumer products of the future? See our summary of the evening for further details.