Consumers are asking serious questions around the environmental impact of a wide variety of sectors, including shows and events such as London Fashion Week (LFW), which took place this week. Considerations around LFW have included the number of flights involved as designers, models and press travel to the venue each year. Companies involved in events should consider their impact if they want to stay relevant, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

Consumers are very concerned about the impact they have on the environment. According to the 2019 GlobalData survey, 45% of UK shoppers actively buy products that are environmentally and animal friendly, with a further 41% keeping these issues in mind when purchasing.

David Utley, Consumer Analyst at GlobalData, comments:“With LFW, there is more to it than just the fashion itself. There is also the extra  use of plastic  associated  with the many shows and exhibitions – for example the plastic coat hangers used for all the stock, the water bottles consumed  and the unrecyclable coffee cups that many of the models, workers and audience will drink.

“Consumer demands are coming to fruition, and the fashion industry starting to take notice. For example, Mulberry claims that it is transporting its carbon-neutral workshop from Somerset to London (sounds counterproductive) for LFW, where they will offer a part exchange system for their old bags swapped for new, however this could just be a gimmick to attract returning customers.

“More notably, the fashion week organisers are featuring a ‘Positive Fashion’ exhibition, showcasing big themes in sustainability and ethics, which suggests that this is high on the agenda.

“LFW has the opportunity evolve and consider its impact on the environment. Consumers want to see change and these big events will have to change to stay relevant. This includes the associated companies, as there are many partners. These, too, will have to consider their impact, if they wish to stay relevant.”