Big topics on the Press Release Wire over the last month – unsurprisingly, very similar to the topics on the minds of many of us right now: the cost of living, sustainability and overall quality of life.

If you’re writing about any of these subjects right now, grab useful statistics from surveys shared via ResponseSource, below. Not your niches? Put out a request for what you need with the Journalist Enquiry Service here.

Sustainability

The Plastic Packaging Tax came into play at the start of April, but were big businesses ready? According to a survey conducted by YouGov for Veolia, around three quarters of British retail and manufacturing companies certainly weren’t, with 77% unaware of the impending plastics taxes. Of those that were aware of the £200 per tonne levy on producers and importers of plastic with less than 30% recycled content, only a fifth (22%) had already opted for recycled content in their packaging. Read more here.

UK motorists are ‘accelerating’ [sorry] towards electric vehicles, says a survey of 2,000 from Bridgestone UK – 67% of drivers are getting ready to get rid of their petrol and diesel cars. For those that see the benefits of a switch, 47% want to make savings on fuel with a further 23% referencing the tax benefits. Luckily, word of the need for zero emission new car sales required by 2035 seems to have spread further than that of the Plastic Packaging Tax – 67% already knew, and 22% of that figure are keen to see the target brought forward to 2030. Read more here.

Brands must be committed to being environmentally friendly, said 67% of consumers surveyed by Mood Media. Those feeling particularly strong about the sustainability values of the stores they shop at? 35 to 44-year olds. Read more here.

Research from a joint study conducted by WU’s Institute for International Business and Copenhagen business school has found a positive link between the number of women in upper management and their company’s sustainability goals. Biological determinism? Nope. It is the higher expectations from external stakeholders due to stereotypical views of women in management positions. Read more here.

Money

With the cost of living in the UK is causing lots of sleepness nights, new research from Swycha probably won’t surprise you – three quarters of parents are struggling with the rising costs of raising a family. The survey of 2,000 parents with children aged four to 21 found that 80% are finding it hard to manage rising living costs and still afford food, clothes, sports clubs and birthday gifts for their children. Most concerning to 70% of those polled – the rising cost of gas and electricity. Read more here. 

If there’s one area the UK is particularly strong in right now, it is refusing to pay off hackers, according to the ExtraHop Cyber Confidence Index 2022 report. Wakefield Research’s findings on ransomware included data on the frequency of online attacks due to outdated software, as well as the payment of ransoms – the US was the most likely to give in to ransomware demands (79% said they would pay) while only 52% of British companies said the same. Read more here (and keep your passwords safe).

Life and leisure

With the majority of us spending more time at home over the last few years, ensuring your space is nice to exist in is a must. Yet 56% of UK adults have rooms in their homes that are unusable because of clutter, and 80% of people feel bad about it. Why we don’t get stuck into the clean-up? Not knowing where to start. Our advice – empty pizza boxes first, and move on from there. Read more here.

Half of UK adults (51%) haven’t heard of the Countryside Code, says research from Merrell, with 64% of those admitting to a lack of knowledge being 16-24 years old. There’s lots of reading up on the agenda for a lot of people, as 83% of respondents admitted to becoming more environmentally conscious, with a further 75% saying they’re spending more time outside since the beginning of the pandemic. Read more here.

We provide these as a jumping-off point for your own research and you should perform your own checks on any of these stories – a few tips in this post. If you’d like to source experts, further information or case studies for any of these topics or something else you’re working on, head to the (free) Journalist Enquiry Service to save hours of research and expand your network of sources.