NEW YORK CITY – On the eve of the holiday shopping season, a new study by BBMG, GlobeScan and SustainAbility finds that consumers are rethinking consumption with sustainability in mind. According to the Regeneration Consumer Study, two-thirds of consumers in six countries say that “as a society, we need to consume a lot less to improve the environment for future generations” (66%), and that they feel “a sense of responsibility to purchase products that are good for the environment and society” (65%). The findings are based on an online survey of 6,224 consumers across Brazil, China, India, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States conducted in September and October 2012.
The affinity toward sustainable consumption is being led by consumers in developing markets (Brazil, China, India), who are more than twice as likely as their counterparts in developed markets (Germany, UK, US) to report purchasing products because of environmental and social benefits (51% to 22%, respectively), being willing to pay more for sustainable products (60% to 26%) and encouraging others to buy from companies that are socially and environmentally responsible (70% to 34%).
However, significant barriers to sustainable purchasing remain for consumers across all markets, including perceptions of product performance, high prices, skepticism about product claims and a lack of knowledge about what makes a product socially or environmentally responsible.
"Consumers are seeking brands that can improve their own lives while creating a more sustainable economy that can benefit all," said Raphael Bemporad, Co-Founder of brand innovation consultancy BBMG. "While there is strong interest in purchasing more sustainable products, perceptions around price, performance and skepticism about product claims remain top barriers to action."
“The Regeneration Consumer Study shows sustainability is fast becoming a key factor when it comes to consumers’ purchasing decisions, yet there are still barriers that need to be addressed,” said Kelly M. Semrau, Chief Sustainability Officer, at SC Johnson. “At SC Johnson, we are committed to learning more, so that we can create better products for consumers around the globe.”
"We believe understanding people's aspirations around consumerism and sustainability is an important area of inquiry,” said Ursula Mathar, Head of Sustainability and Environmental Protection, at BMW Group. “This topic requires a great deal more understanding in order to increase sustainable consumption, which is why BMW Group supports The Regeneration Consumer Study."
Key Findings from the Regeneration Consumer Study (2012):
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Consuming Less, Consuming Better: While 66% of consumers across the six countries surveyed believe in consuming less, the pattern varies across markets, with 76% of consumers in developing markets and 57% in developed markets being inclined to believe that “as a society, we need to consume a lot less to improve the environment for future generations.” Similarly, consumers in emerging markets are much more likely than consumers in developed markets to “feel a sense of responsibility to purchase products that are good for the environment and society” (82% to 49%, respectively).
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Shifting Perceptions: Views on Price, Performance and Credibility Most Frequently Undermine Sustainable Purchasing: A majority of consumers globally agree or strongly agree that they would “purchase more products that are environmentally and socially responsible” if they “performed as well as, or better than, products they usually buy” (75%), “it didn’t cost more” (70%), “companies’ health and environmental claims were more believable” (64%), they “had a better understanding of what makes products environmentally or socially responsible” (63%), or they “could see environmental or social benefits of the products right away” (63%). Price is the top barrier to green purchasing in developed markets (78%) while product performance (74%) is the top barrier in developing markets along with needing “a better understanding of what makes products socially and environmentally responsible” (72%).
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Collaboration and Participation – Being Part of the Solution: Two-thirds of consumers globally (67%) are “interested in sharing their ideas, opinions and experiences with companies to help them develop better products or create new solutions,” while seven in ten consumers (72%) globally “believe in voting and advocating for issues important to me.”
"With the Regeneration Consumer Study, our goal is to bring the consumer voice into the sustainability conversation and help articulate specific decisions and actions that companies can take to accelerate and grow a more sustainable economy," said Eric Whan, GlobeScan’s Director of Sustainability. “With data-driven ideas, we want to help companies make the business case for sustainable development and advance the creation and deployment of more sustainable products, policies and practices."
"Our economy and natural environment are facing unprecedented stresses as scarce resources are stretched to meet growing needs,” said Mark Lee, Executive Director at SustainAbility. “Through the Regeneration Consumer Study, we are revealing how consumer attitudes, behaviors and collaboration can help enterprising brands as they work to innovate smarter, safer, cleaner and greener solutions."
Background and Methodology:
Developed by BBMG, GlobeScan and SustainAbility, The Regeneration Consumer Study is an in-depth online survey of consumer attitudes, motivations and behaviors relating to sustainable consumption among 6,224 respondents across six major international markets (Brazil, China, Germany, India, the United Kingdom and the United States) conducted in September and October 2012. Drawn from consumer research panels, global data are comparable to having a margin of error of +/- 1.3 percent. Analysis of country-level data reflects a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percent.
The study is part of the The Regeneration Roadmap, a collaborative and multi-faceted thought leadership initiative designed to engage the private sector in advancing sustainable development by improving sustainability strategy, increasing credibility and delivering results at greater speed and scale.
Presenting Sponsors of The Regeneration Roadmap are BMW Group and SC Johnson. Sponsors include Cisco, DuPont, Interface and Pfizer. The Regeneration Consumer Study is sponsored by Brown-Forman, Campbell Soup Company, Itau, L’Oréal, Shell and Starbucks.
For more information, and to download a free copy of the study (available after November 27, 2012), visit http://www.theregenerationroadmap.com.
About BBMG: Based in New York City, BBMG is a brand and innovation consultancy dedicated to creating disruptive business solutions and delightful brand experiences to help brands achieve business success and positive social impact. By integrating branding with sustainability expertise and innovation protocols, BBMG helps organizations identify growth opportunities, forge new markets, create new brands and drive real culture change. Recent clients include NBCUniversal, MillerCoors, Brown-Forman, Walmart, Samsung, Seventh Generation and Earthbound Farm. For more information, visit http://www.bbmg.com
About GlobeScan: For 25 years, GlobeScan has helped clients measure and build value-generating relationships with their stakeholders. Uniquely placed at the nexus of reputation, brand and sustainability, we partner with clients to build trust, drive engagement and inspire innovation within, around, and beyond their organizations. For more information, visit http://www.GlobeScan.com
About SustainAbility: SustainAbility is a think tank and strategic advisory firm working to inspire transformative business leadership on the sustainability agenda. Established in 1987, SustainAbility delivers illuminating foresight and actionable insight on sustainable development trends and issues. For more information, visit http://www.SustainAbility.com
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CONTACTS:
McKee Floyd, BBMG: [email protected], +1 212 473 4902 x201
Robin Miller, GlobeScan: [email protected], +1 416 962 0707
Geoff Kendall, SustainAbility, [email protected], +44 (0) 207 269 6900
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Sustainable Brands Staff
Published Nov 27, 2012 12pm EST / 9am PST / 5pm GMT / 6pm CET