Going “green” has survived the recession, but Americans’ interest in being eco-friendly has been weakened along with their budgets.
Nine in 10 Americans (90%) have incorporated some level of environmentally friendly habits into their daily lives, according to Burst Media. However, fewer than one in 10 (9%) are completely green.
Among those trying to be green, but still working at it (aka “aspirational greens”), 61% say their primary reason for doing so is to create a better environment. Women (65%) are more likely than men (52%) to be going green in an effort to improve the environment.
Among those who live their lives completely green, only 38% are doing so primarily to improve the environment. Their diverse reasons for going green include:
• Wanting to live a better quality of life (37%);
• Doing good for their community (35%);
• Wanting to make a difference (33%); and
• To set an example for others (32%).
The vast majority of people (82%) notice advertising claims that a company or product is green or eco-friendly. Most (57%) believe such claims, though 52% are occasionally skeptical. Aspirational greens (68%) are more likely than those who are completely green (58%) and those who are not green at all (32%) to believe eco-friendly claims in advertising.
One in six (15%) say that green claims are confusing or misleading. Those aged 18-34 are least likely to think so, followed by those aged 35-54 (17%) and those aged 55 and older (20%).
More than three quarters of shoppers (77%) believe that companies exploit green claims for marketing purposes, according to Better Homes & Gardens and BrandSpark.
Slightly more than half of grocery shoppers (52%) say it is important that new products they buy are better for the environment, down from 63% a year ago. Fewer than half (47%) insist new products have eco-friendly packaging, also a decrease from the year prior. BrandSpark’s Robert Levy explains that consumers have been “bombarded by green messaging” and are unclear as to the benefits, and therefore “consider the price premium unacceptable.”
One category where green does make a difference is household cleaning products. When shopping for new household cleaning products, shoppers say it is important that they:
• Are good for the environment (58%);
• Safer for their children (57%);
• Come in concentrated form and require less packaging (51%);
• Are made from natural ingredients (38%);
• Are made from organic ingredients (25%); and
• Include baking soda as an ingredient (23%).
The majority of grocery shoppers (59%) are concerned about chemicals in such products, but only 20% believe that organic home care products are effective. That is a disconnect that home care brands need to address because the primary reason that shoppers chose one such product over another is that it gets the job done (the first time, not after several tries).
Women, especially moms, tend to be more considerate of the environment than men in attitude as well as purchase decisions — largely explained by their concern about what sort of world they are leaving their children to manage.
Green moms can be lumped into five categories based on their eco attitudes, according to The Social Studies Group and Learned On.
Super Green Moms are typical “watchdog” parents. They use cloth instead of paper towels and eliminate plastic snack bags. They take reusable bags to do their shopping. They evaluate their home energy use to see where they can do better. Natural products are also their choice for cleaning: lemon juice, vinegar, and baking soda.
Eco-Moderate Moms are concerned about the environment, but are also juggling career, family, and other home responsibilities. They can be motivated to be more green by asking them to participate in a “challenge” program with other like-minded moms.
Mainstream Green Moms are philosophically on board with the green movement. They focus on singular purchase decisions, making those choices smarter and more eco-friendly for the benefit of their families, with the belief that they will make a difference overall. They are less likely to make drastic changes to become more green.
Natural Parenting/Simple Lifestyle Moms strongly consider themselves green and want their efforts to enhance family bonds (natural childbirth, breastfeeding, cloth diapers). They prefer an uncomplicated lifestyle that incorporates green values, such as local and organic foods.
Green And Frugal Moms are focused on living within their means. They weigh the additional cost of green products and farmers market foods against the value of preserving the environment. And they compensate for the additional cost by cutting back in other areas. They aren’t interested in green as trend; they hold it as a core belief. [Environment, Consumer Spending & Attitudes]
Sources: “Consumers Willing To Spend More To Go Green,” Burst Media, Chuck Moran, Director Marketing, 8 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; 781-852-5291; cmoran@burstmedia.com; www.burstmedia.com. Price: Available online at no charge.
Better Homes & Gardens, James Carr, VP/Group Publishers, 125 Park Ave., New York, NY 10017; 212-551-7110; james.carr@meredith.com; www.bhg.com. Also Maxwell Bonnie; 347-429-1403; mbonnie@bestnewproductawards.com.
“American Shopper Study,” BrandSpark, Robert Levy, President, 1075 Bay St., #1002, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 2B1; 647-727-4576; rlevy@brandspark.ca; www.brandspark.ca. Price: Call for information
“The Green Mom Eco-Cosm,” The Social Studies Group, Wendy Goldman Scherer, Analyst, Washington, DC; 202-715-3884 x704; wscherer@socialstudiesgroupcom; www.socialstudiesgroup.com. Price: Call for information.
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