Sustainable shopping at your fingertips
Timeline
5 months
Role
User Researcher
Prototyping
UX Designer
Visual Designer
Team
Team of 2:
Chirantan (Project Manager)
Sanya (Designer)
Methodology
User Research, User Interviews, HMW, User Personas, Competitor Audit, Ideation, Wireframes, Lo-fi Prototype, High Fidelity Mockups, Usability Studies, KPI's, Iterations
Disclaimer: This is not a redesign of the app.
Overview
I'm a sustainability enthusiast and always on the lookout to reduce my carbon footprint. I try to buy local groceries, use reusable bags, wear organic cotton clothes, avoid canned goods, take a bus to the store and combine mutliple errands on a single trip.
and
61%
Consumers's say environmental issues have adverse effect on my health.
92%
Shopper's say sustainability is important to them
65%
feel they have a moral obligation to use environmentally friendly products.
The Challenge
Many grocery shoppers aim to reduce their carbon footprint and contribute to sustainability but lack accessible and clear information about the environmental impact of their food choices. Existing food retailers struggle to provide comprehensive data on product sourcing, production methods, and carbon emissions, leaving consumers uncertain about making environmentally responsible purchasing decisions.
75%
think products labelled “green” are a marketing tool
44%
report that sustainability labels are confusing.
"Also there's general confusion. What is sustainability? How do you know if I'm supporting a product that really is good for the world and if you pair that with the price sensitivity." - Brooke Bright, NIQ Brandbank
The Goal
To create a seamless and informed online grocery shopping experience for sustainability enthusiasts, ensuring they can easily navigate sustainable options while considering cost-effectiveness and convenience.
Add a sustainble tab?
Or add a category?
Green products card!
Graphical Representation:
Mockup of the suggested changes to the existing app
Why Instacart?
Instacart is a grocery delivery and pickup app that connects users with personal shoppers to handpick and deliver items from local stores
Instacart is ranked no.1 in grocery delivery app in Canada which has the shortest delivery time and a low delivery fees compared to its competitors- Walmart, Doordash, Costco Canada & Amazon/Whole Foods. Their core audience is from United States and Canada.
Age Distribution
Who are the "sustainable" consumers?
The report reveals that 62% of Gen Z shoppers prefer to buy from sustainable brands, and a staggering 73% are willing to pay more for sustainable products. Moreover, Gen Z and Millennials are the most likely to make purchase decisions based on personal, social, and environmental values.
"Millennials and gen Zs – who will be the most influential consuming cohort by 2030 – will be far more willing to vote for sustainability with their wallets. “We are already seeing this in their behaviour today,”
Tiffany Wong, EY’s director of environmental, social and governance (ESG) for Canada
Let's begin by understanding the users
PRIMARY REASEARCH
With all the data I collected, I listed down a set of questions to conduct user interviews with grocery shoppers from age groups 18-34 to understand how they shop and what motivates them to purchase sustainable products. I chose a a diverse group of users who shop atleast once every week and are used to ordering online.
Age
18-34 years
Occupation
Student, working professional & Home makers
Ordering style
Online
Shopping habits
Atleast once a week
User's voice: What did I find out?
INSIGHTS FROM THE USER INTERVIEWS
"Packaging, logistics, where it’s coming from and how the labour’s been treated. I mean it should be kind of fairtrade.”
"I make a list of items I have to purchase. Cost, utility & brand affect my decision."
A lot of people buy organic products, they think they’re buying organic but when they’re processed they’re not organic anymore. So that kind of information should be available for the people.
"If you’re going to buy a sandwich or something, it tells you about calories you would always think twice before buying it, right?, So with carbon footprint also most of the people will start to care about it."
Probably a sustainable tab on top of the application which contains all the sustainable goods
“It is very important! I would also make my yogurt to avoid using the packaged one. I prefer going to the local market to get fresh vegetables and fruits.”
“I will calculate like everything. I know about the situation and that’s our motivation like I know how polluted the air is, so that motivates me. But sometimes that information is not enough!”
These are some of the quoted statements from the interviewees which we then carefully analysed and synthesized to guide subsequent decisions and next steps.
User research uncovered 4 main pain-points
We analysed the recorded interviews and synthesized the outcomes from their shopping experience. We divided them into 4 distinct categories.
Higher costs of sustainable products makes it challenging for users to opt for a green product
COST
Lack of information is confusing, as organic does not mean the product is sustainable.
AWARENESS
To save time, customers anticipate that they will be suggested items based on their shopping history.
PERSONALISATION
Users expect advertisements to be impartial and not favor any particular brand due to biases.
QUALITY
Who are the target users?
There are two kinds of users:
One that values environmental aspects of the product more than any other, and are willing to pay a higher price for a sustainable product. These are the green enthusiasts.
One that juggles between the cost and utility over the environmental factors. They care for the environment however, they lay importance to convenience and comfort.
User Persona-1
User Persona-2
Green Enthusiast
Responsible Father
Anna's journey to place an order on instacart
USER JOURNEY MAP FOR INSTACART
Exploring solutions
This was my favourite phase of the project where we ran our thoughts wild and tried to devise solutions for the problem at hand. After the brainstorming session on Figjam, we decided to analyse and synthesize the solutions by placing them in categories of pain points with the help of an Affinity Map. This helped us reduce our own biases and enabled us to move in a guided and more structured direction.
IDEATING & BRAINSTORMING
Affinity map based on the categories of pain-points in Figjam
Identifying opportunities
Based on the Journey map and the brainstorming session, we identified opportunities in 6 stages of the ordering process.
Assumptions: Carbon emmissions and carbon footprint data available for all the items/products offered on the instacart app. I then hand sketched and designed low fidelity wireframes for the relevant screens on figjam.
OPPORTUNITY 01
Categorization
Instacart's mobile app lets users find items based on 2 navigation methods, Search and categories. Introducing a sustainability tab or a category on scroll t is vital and the very first step in the user journey to discover environmentally friendly products.
Cart emissions & cart total
One of the benefits of ordering online is that at all times a user can view their cart total while placing in the order in their cart. In the same way, we can introduce a carbon emissions total at the bottom of the screen to help consumers track their emissions.
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OPPORTUNITY 02
Product info or details
Once consumers choose a product they want to buy, they are led to the product details screen, which displays information like whether it is "gluten-free", its brand, and an image. They can also add the item to a list, give replacement instructions, and leave notes for the shopper. This is an ideal place to introduce sustainability information that is easy to comprehend.
OPPORTUNITY 03
Alternate sustainable product using AI
Product info screen also gave us the opportunity to introduce a new feature which with the help of AI would enable the consumer to choose a similar product with higher levels of sustainability or lower carbon emissions.
OPPORTUNITY 04
Cart & Checkout
Before proceeding to checkout, users can view their total cost and items in the cart. This section also has the potential to include a summary of total carbon emissions, adding an extra layer of awareness to the shopping experience.
OPPORTUNITY 05
Post Checkout
Post purachse feedback can inform users of their carbon impact to increase awareness about sustainability. Tips can be also be provided here to reduce their footprint in the future purchases.
OPPORTUNITY 06
Iconography & graphics
I hand sketched icons to add to the sustainable information that matches the brand guidelines as well as are easy for the users to relate to.
Colours
I used the colours from the Instacart Design system as on https://heyitsinstacart.com/color/
Cinnamon
Hex C22F00
RGB 194 47 0
Turmeric
Hex ECAA01
RGB 236 170 1
Lime
Hex 0AAD0A
RGB 10 173 10
Let's dive into
SOLUTION
Before
After
SOLUTION 01
Categorization
Adding a category meant for sustainable products with an icon that is easy to undertsand by the consumers, it would encourage consumers to find green products and will help green enthusiasts to narrow down their search
.png)
SOLUTION 02
Cart Emissions
By adding a CO2 kilograms next to the existing cart total, consumers can now monitor their total carbon emissions throughout their shopping experience, keeping them informed about the environmental impact of their purchases in real time.
Low CO2 emissions
Moderate CO2 emissions
High CO2 emissions
Before
SOLUTION 03
Product info or details
Previosuly no information was added related to the product being sustainable. Also the relevant details like the product being "vegan, organic or perishable" were adeded under the fold.
After
Option 1
Option 2
Non-Green Product
A clear and easy to understand indication of the kilograms of CO2 emitted for each product highlighted front and center in the brand's secondary colour.
Green Product
A clear indication of the kilograms of CO2 emitted for each product highlighted front and cneter in the brand's secondary colour.
SOLUTION 04
Alternate sustainable product using AI
A CTA has been placed directly below the product image, offering consumers the option to choose a more eco-friendly alternative similar to their selected item. This AI-driven feature provides an opportunity to choose a product with similar value but lower CO2 emissions.
A CTA button to open up the pop over screen with a green product having less carbon footprint.
Before
After
SOLUTION 05
Carbon emissions at Checkout
Consumers can view their total carbon emissions on the checkout screen, alongside the cart total and item list. The emissions will be color-coded to indicate low to high CO2 levels relative to an average cart to motivate them to make eco-concious choices.
Before
After
SOLUTION 06
Post Checkout
As users reach the final step of their shopping journey, they're gently reminded of the carbon footprint their grocery choices have made. This reminder is more than just a number—it's an opportunity to connect their actions with the planet’s well-being. With a simple tap on "Learn More," they can dive deeper, discovering how their emissions compare to everyday actions, like miles driven by a car, and how their choices today measure up against past shopping trips.
How would I measure success?
Key Performance Index (KPIs) to track effectiveness
1. Clicks on Sustainable Categories
Number of Sessions with Sustainable Category Interaction
2. Conversion Rate for "Green Alternatives"
The percentage of users who purchase an eco-friendly alternative after clicking the "Green Alternatives" CTA.
3. Growth Rate of Sustainable Product Sales
The increase in sales of sustainable products over time.
What I learned
-
This project reaffirmed that user-centric design is not just about aesthetics but about solving real problems on an existing app.
-
One of the main challenges was integrating educational content on carbon emissions without overwhelming the user. I learned that simplicity and clarity are key—users prefer quick and digestible insights.
What I'd do if I had more time
-
I would prioritize thorough moderated usability testing to gain deeper insights into the behaviors and preferences of sustainable shoppers.
-
I’d like to further explore and enhance the AI-powered comparison tool, focusing on how it can better assist users in making eco-friendly choices while balancing cost and convenience.
-
I would explore greener delivery options and order scheduling to reduce carbon emissions and offer users more sustainable choices in logistics.
-
I would conduct research to better understand what specific sustainability metrics users are most interested in, whether it’s comparing their carbon footprint to miles driven, trees planted, or the average shopper’s impact.
-
Finally, I’d like to explore the potential of offering incentives for sustainable shopping behaviors, such as rewards for reducing carbon emissions, to see how this could motivate users to make more eco-conscious decisions.
Thank you for reading!
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