In a May 2023 transparency survey conducted by Kearney Consumer Institute (KCI), 91 percent of respondents indicated they want transparency from brands and 48 percent said they wanted more transparency than they currently receive. However, the notion of broad transparency can be disconnected from information consumers actually want, and where and how they want it.
GLOIt’s no secret that consumers will say they want transparency. In a May 2023 transparency survey conducted by Kearney Consumer Institute (KCI), 91 percent of respondents indicated they want transparency from brands and 48 percent said they wanted more transparency than they currently receive. However, the notion of broad transparency can be disconnected from information consumers actually want, and where and how they want it.
Consumers want to feel confident in the choices they are making—77 percent of respondents said brand transparency makes them feel informed and 40 percent reported it making them more confident in their purchasing decisions. But it does not mean they want to be bombarded with information. Instead, they often favor being able to find the information if they want, rather than everything available on pack or in the store.
Consumers can also choose to be blissfully ignorant. For instance, in the case of fast fashion 46 percent of respondents admitted they typically don’t look at a garment’s supply chain and 35 percent acknowledge some brands don’t have the best practices, but they buy it anyway.
This inconsistency leads to a core question: can consumers see the benefit of a brand’s transparency?
First, it’s worth considering that it is hard to be selectively transparent. Putting information out sets the expectations that consumers can ask about anything. For instance, if women’s equality is supported publicly, does the internal organization reflect this commitment?
Consumers do not seek theoretical transparency, but rather the outcome transparency provides. Understanding the interplay between information and emotion sets the boundary for transparency, a process KCI calls thoughtful transparency. Acknowledging the intent of the transparency and the likelihood of follow through can help to determine what information to share, where, and when.
