Clarity AI technology empowers consumers to shop consciously
Clarity AI – the leading global sustainability tech platform – has announced that financial company Klarna is using Clarity AI’s data and capabilities to promote environmentally conscious brands to 150 million shoppers.
Sustainability is becoming a major concern for shoppers. Yet, so far, much of the attention in the market has been focused on the fashion industry. In order to shed light on a new category, Klarna will initially feature ways to shop consciously – powered by Clarity AI’s capabilities – to those shopping for electronics across thousands of brands in 22 countries around the world. As a whole, the technology industry is expected to produce around 14% of global emissions by 2040, up from around 3% today. As well as the energy demand from the usage of electronic devices, their production and disposal have a significant environmental impact. Producing these devices equals or exceeds the carbon cost of using them.
“We are thrilled to empower over 150 million shoppers with the information they need to make more sustainable choices when they shop”, said Angel Agudo, Head of Product and member of the Board of Directors of Clarity AI. “With more than 2 million daily transactions processed by Klarna, this initiative can have a significant collective effect, showcasing the scale and potential that Clarity AI can power and unleash as we make our sustainability metrics accessible to consumers.”
Sustainability important for shoppers
According to the Q3 2022 Klarna Shopping Pulse, 62% of US shoppers say that sustainability when shopping for electronics is important to them (e.g., that the product is made of more sustainable materials or the brand is taking active steps towards climate change). Also, the study showed that over two-thirds of Americans think it’s important that the brands they buy actively combat climate change and use recycled or sustainable materials in their products, and moreover, 24% of Americans actively seek out brands that are ethical and sustainable.
After consumers make a purchase in the electronics category, new Clarity AI-powered information on the brand’s environmental efforts will be displayed in the form of brand badges, bringing together brand-level sustainability data in one simple overview. This information provides consumers with a simple and reliable way to identify brands that are proactively addressing climate change, helping consumers shop more consciously. The brand badges indicate whether a company has lower greenhouse gas emissions than similar businesses, whether they derive a higher proportion of its energy from renewable sources, has climate change policies and a roadmap to positively impact climate change, and whether or not a company is transparent in its reporting of climate-related information.
“In 2021, Klarna introduced the CO2e emissions tracker, which brought to life one of the largest awareness efforts on carbon footprints ever made. Now, we are taking it one step further by providing Klarna’s more than 150 million shoppers with reliable and transparent metrics for electronics brands, helping shoppers to not only understand the impact of their purchases but also to make more environmentally conscious decisions going forward. Together, Klarna and Clarity AI are empowering consumers to ‘vote with their wallet’ for a more sustainable world,” said Salah Said, Head of Sustainability at Klarna. “We were looking for a partner that not only provides clear and independent data, but also offers a seamless technical integration. As a digital-native tech company, Clarity AI was a natural choice for us. We speak the same language; it’s a great match.”
