Not a niche: why climate-conscious customers are shaping the future of payments

TL;DR:

Climate-conscious customers are mainstream. And they’re influencing spend, loyalty, and retention today
You don’t need to build new products to serve them, just surface climate impact clearly in your existing payment flows
Climate visibility drives growth. In one PSP pilot, nearly 50% of users opted in within the first month
This is a commercial lever, not a compliance task. Done right, it boosts engagement, trust, and long-term usage.

Climate demand isn’t an emerging trend. It’s shaping how people choose, spend, and stay loyal right now.

And for payment providers, this isn’t a side quest for the ESG team. It’s a business lever. A way to earn trust, grow usage, and unlock new revenue, without rebuilding your product.

So the question is no longer if consumers care about climate. But whether your product is helping them act on it.

The new loyalty driver hiding in plain sight

Today’s climate-conscious consumer doesn’t always look how you expect.

This is no longer just the ultra-green early adopters living on oat milk and idealism.

It’s parents comparing brands in the supermarket.

It’s commuters checking labels on the go.

It’s people doing everyday things, but looking for better options when they can.

They’re not shouting about it.

They’re comparing. In the background. Repeatedly. Looking for providers who make it easy to do the right thing, without paying a premium or jumping through hoops.

What they’re choosing is clarity.

→ A traceable receipt over a vague “eco” badge.

→ A refill with proof, not just a promise.

→ A provider who shows the carbon impact of what they’re buying.

And when that clarity exists, they switch. And stay.

What this means for payment providers

Your customers are already thinking about the impact of their purchases.

But most payment flows don’t reflect that, let alone empower it.

That’s a missed opportunity.

We’ve seen the difference when you surface climate action at the right time, in the right way.

In one PSP launch, nearly 50% of users opted into a climate feature within the first month, without being nudged by a discount.

Just clear, visible insights and possibility to take action at the point of purchase.

Here’s where there’s untapped value:

Signal	Hidden opportunity
58% would pay more for climate-positive services	Premium features tied to impact, not just cashback
70% choose purpose over profit	Climate signals = loyalty, when visible and real
39% want climate-linked financial products	There’s demand for visible, verifiable alternatives to the status quo

You don’t need to build new products. Just unlock the untapped value in the surfaces you already own, like your checkout, transaction history or app feed.

Show impact in real time, in plain language. That’s how you win.

Three questions to find out if climate visibility should be your next move

If you’re building for loyalty or looking to differentiate, climate visibility might be the missing layer. Try these:

Where does climate action live in your UX?

Is it buried in a marketing tab, or part of the checkout, the app, the receipt?
What proof are you showing?

Can users verify your claims with one tap, or do they need to Google your homepage?
Are you asking users to care, or helping them act?

Emotion isn’t enough. The win is when action becomes default behaviour.

Why this matters now

When climate insights and action is built into the payment experience (rather than bolted on) it becomes a loyalty lever. A reason to choose you. A reason to use your product again. A reason to tell a friend.

Not every consumer will care. But the vast majority will. And those who do are more likely to stick around, spend more, and stay engaged.

This is about frictionless impact. And frictionless impact becomes habit.

Final thought

This shift is all about earning loyalty by respecting the choices your customers are already trying to make. The next generation of payments products won’t just move money faster, they’ll move with purpose.

And the providers who enable that shift will win on trust, retention, and relevance.