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Is There a Green-Consumption Gap?
A new poll shows that 76% of consumers say they want to help others and 69% aim to provide a better life for their children, but only 26% say they actively seek out environmentally responsible products. Paradoxically, more than 90% say that the environment influences their day-to-day purchasing decisions. What’s going on?
If the environment is truly influencing as many as 90% of consumer purchasing decisions, chances are respondents are either overreporting to a surveytaker in the interest of looking worthy or, more likely, making a distinction between products that are overtly marketed as green (like Seventh Generation or Greenworks cleaning products) versus a more “silent” green products (such as the Method line). Consider the fact that the Energy Star label now appears on over 50 different kinds of products. Do consumers view Energy Star-labeled products as “green”? Likely not. However, they would admit that seeing the label influenced their decision.
If there is a genuine gap in intention and purchase behavior, there’s lots that can be done to close it — all we have to do is look toward the successful brands and learn from their strategies. Key among them is keeping in mind that most consumers (read: everyone but that greener-than-green 26%), don’t buy green products for their environmental attributes alone, but for the value those attributes provide: the organic produce that tastes better, the fuel-efficient car that saves money on gas, and the flushable “G” diapers that are more convenient to travel with.
Do you think there's a green-consumption gap and, if so, why? Vote in SLM's own unofficial poll.
~Jacquelyn A. Ottman, President, J.Ottman Consulting and SLM Advisor
Comments? Weigh in!
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India, Brazil Home to Greenest Consumers; U.S. Ranks Last
India and Brazil boast some of the greenest consumers in the world, according to a new survey from the National Geographic Society and GlobeScan, a polling firm. In general, consumers in developed countries appear less concerned about making greener purchasing choices - and American shoppers came in dead last. Read more...
U.S. Consumers Talk Big on Green, But Purchasing Is Another Story
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Solution Providers
KEEN's Bobbie Parisi on Challenging the Green Consumer
Bobbie Parisi is the mastermind behind the KEEN Footwear’s Hybrid.STAND campaign, which netted a mention on Advertising Age's list of top 50 marketing ideas for 2007. In this SLM interview, she offers a behind-the-scenes look at the sustainable-lifestyles contest that helped boost KEEN’s web traffic by more than 50%. Read more...
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Sustainable Life Media is home for business professionals looking to build new value and competitive advantage by innovating more sustainable processes, practices and products. We bring you top stories related to the what, who and how of environmental and social innovation, and help you connect with thought leaders, peers, partners and solutions providers that can help you quickly reach your goals.
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