Green expectations: consumers in Wales still want to buy green, but expect evidence of action

New research from the Carbon Trust Standard shows that consumers in Wales still want to buy green despite the current economic climate, with 58% of consumers saying environmental concerns influence their purchasing decisions ‘the same as a year ago’ and a third (35%) saying they influence them ‘even more’ than in 2008.


The research shows that a business’s green credentials have a significant impact on consumer buying choices in the country. Three quarters (75%) of local consumers say it’s important to buy from environmentally responsible companies, with a fifth (19%) saying they have voted with their feet by deciding not to buy from a company based on their environmental reputation and a third (30%) based on a company’s ethical reputation.


YouGov surveyed nearly 2,000 UK adults in late February 2009 on behalf of the Carbon Trust Standard, the world’s first carbon award that requires an organisation to measure, manage and reduce its carbon footprint and actually make real reductions year-on-year.


As consumers in Wales increasingly scrutinise business actions on climate change, they want to see clearer, more credible information on what companies are doing to reduce their environmental impact. The research shows that 69% of consumers do not feel confident that they can clearly identify which companies are environmentally responsible. More than half of consumers (55%) in the country are sceptical about the environmental claims companies make, and nearly half (43%) of consumers would like more information on what companies are actually doing to be environmentally responsible.


Mike Batt, manager of Carbon Trust Wales, said:

“This research shows that consumer values do not change, even in a middle of a recession. They want companies to act and cut their carbon footprints, and provide transparent and accessible evidence of action.  We believe companies that take real action will seize the dual benefits of immediate cost savings and a stronger reputation, which is good for business.”


Consumers in Wales look to a range of indicators to understand whether or not a company is environmentally responsible, but the most important criteria they rely on are what they read in the media (56%) and third party endorsement or accreditation (23%). The least popular factor consumers use to judge whether a company is behaving in an environmentally responsible manner is what advertising tells them (3%).


And it’s not just businesses that are under the spotlight, people also expect to see evidence of action from public sector organisations – 87% of people in Wales feel it is important that public sector organisations tackle climate change and cut carbon, compared to 65% who believe it is important for all businesses.

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