Asian Millennial Women Use Their Buying Power To Protect the Environment

Originally published on Nielsen Insights

This year’s International Women’s Day theme #accelerateaction puts the spotlight on how women are driving change around the world. With 2024 being the warmest year on record for the U.S., climate change and sustainability is a big concern—and definitely for women who are 7% more likely to feel that our society should do much more to protect the environment/planet. For Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) millennial women in particular, that number is even more pronounced, with 25% of them more likely to feel that way¹.

For AANHPI millennial women, it’s not just a feeling, they are also acting by putting their money where their heart is: they are twice as likely to pay more for eco-friendly products and services compared to the total population¹. And brands are taking note. For example, K-Beauty company Innis Free doubled down on its eco-friendly, cruelty free ingredients and packaging for the U.S. market and opened its flagship store in New York City with the Millennial and Gen Z consumer in mind. Asian millennial women are also more likely than Asian millennial men to perform eco-friendly activities from recycling to donating to environmental causes: See chart above.

AANHPI millennial women don’t just influence brands—they also influence their peers. In fact, 36% of AANHPI women agree that they are considered the leader in trends by their friend/peer group². This influence extends to purchasing power, as their choices around sustainability and eco-consciousness shape what their peers buy. Brands that align with these values can tap into a powerful network of consumers who actively share and promote the products they believe in.

When it comes to protecting the environment, the influence of Asian women to #accelerateaction goes back to earlier generations. Miya Yoshitani, Executive Director of the Asian Pacific Environmental Network has been a leader of the environmental justice movement since the 1990s. Through organizing in Asian-American communities, she fights for healthy communities and also paved the way for today’s social media activists. AANHPI women millennials have dedicated platforms for doing good, enabling them to reach audiences 18+ who spend almost eight hours a week on social media (Q3 2024). Jewish-Filipina Kristi Drutman of browngirlgreen is a self-described “environmental educator passionate about working at the intersections between media, diversity, and environmentalism”. South Asian Aditi Mayer blends the “worlds of art, industry, and education— all with a socially conscious slant”.

These platforms offer a way for brands to create meaningful connections with Asian female millennials who are early in their consumer lifecycle. They have the buying power: average monthly earnings of Asian women ($1,331) are higher than those of their counterparts, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. They have expectations: 56% of AANHPI women expect the brands they buy to support the causes they care about². Brands looking to grow their business can’t afford to ignore eco-conscious Asian female millennials.

Data sources:

¹Scarborough USA+ 2024 Release 1 Total (Jan 2023-Apr 2024)

²Nielsen Attitudes on Representation Study, 2023