Lasting legacy of lockdowns: Almost half of Brits credit lockdowns for becoming more sustainably conscious

Almost half (48%) of Brits say life in lockdowns over the last year has made them more conscious about how sustainable their home is, with over a third (38%) admitting they will take the learnings from this past year into life after lockdowns, according to new findings from E.ON1.

E.ON has conducted the new survey as we reach the one-year milestone since the first national lockdown in March 2020. When asked about why Brits want to be more sustainable almost half (48%) say they now care more about the environment, while four in ten (44%) admit it’s because they have more time to think about being sustainable.

Interestingly, almost one in five (16%) say they are more conscious about sustainability in the home as they believe it could increase the value of their property, and almost a quarter (23%) say they feel pressure to be sustainable, while another 17% say it’s because their friends and family care about the issue.

Michael Lewis, E.ON UK CEO, said: “If there are any upsides to the past year’s lockdowns, our findings show that many people now have a better understanding of how we can all be more energy efficient and what we can do to reduce our impact on the planet – especially as our homes are now one of the biggest contributors to climate change. For many, the first step could be switching to 100% renewable electricity2, which E.ON customers get as standard, and from there exploring a range of smarter, more sustainable home solutions including solar and battery technology and smart meters, all of which can help reduce energy use while many people continue to spend more time at home.”