Three Quarters of Consumers Say Brands Have to Be Environmentally Responsible

PR60238

NUREMBERG, Germany, Apr. 22 /PRN=KYODO JBN/ --

    - Close to two thirds feel guilty when they do something that is not       

environmentally friendly.

    - The same number says they only buy products and services that appeal to

their beliefs, values or ideals.

    With the 45th World Earth Day happening this week, GfK has published survey

findings showing how important environmental values are to people

internationally.

    GfK asked 28,000 people across 23 countries about how strongly they agree

or disagree with specific statements. Over three quarters (76 percent) agree

that brands and companies have to be environmentally responsible, while just

short of two thirds (63 percent) say they feel guilty when they do something

that is not environmentally friendly and only buy products and services that

appeal to their beliefs, values or ideals.

    This is in sharp contrast to the few who disagree with these statements.

Only six percent feel that brands do not have to be environmentally

responsible, 14 percent do not feel guilty when they do something not

environmentally friendly and 11 percent say they do not only buy products and

services that appeal to their beliefs.

    With so much competition for consumers' money, everything that brands can

do to align with their customers will help them stand out and win loyalty.

Consumers want to feel good about how they spend their money - and these

findings indicate one way that brands can tune in to that desire.

    Brands have to be environmentally responsible

    Internationally, over three quarters of women (78 percent) and exactly

three quarters of men (75 percent) agree that brands and companies have to be

environmentally responsible these days. This includes almost three in ten (28

percent) who agree strongly with that statement, with women again slightly

ahead of men at 29 percent versus 26 percent.

    When it comes to different age groups, there is a fairly even distribution

of those in overall agreement, with the 30-39 year olds slightly ahead at 80

percent, followed by 40-49 year olds (78 percent) and those aged 60 and over

(77 percent). The youngest age group (15-19 year olds) boast over two thirds

(69 percent) agreeing with the statement - so, although they come behind the

other age groups, a clear majority is still saying that brands and companies

have to be environmentally responsible. The age groups that show the highest

numbers saying that they agree strongly with this statement, however, are the

50-59 (31 percent) and 40-49 year olds (30 percent).

    Looking at individual countries, consumers in India and Indonesia express

the highest overall agreement with this statement (94 and 93 percent

respectively). And even in those countries with the lowest levels of agreement

- Japan at 58 percent and Sweden at 62 percent - we are still seeing well over

half of their consumers backing this statement. The countries that show the

greatest intensity of support (those agreeing strongly that brands have to be

environmentally responsible) are Brazil with 47 percent, Turkey with 46 percent

and Russia with 40 percent of consumers.

    Feeling guilty

    On the question of personal responsibility, nearly two thirds (63 percent)

of consumers internationally say they feel guilty when they do something that

is not environmentally friendly - including 17 percent who agree strongly that

that is the case. This is again slightly led by women, at 64 percent agreeing

in total and 18 percent agreeing strongly, compared to men at 61 percent in

total and 15 percent agreeing strongly.

    The breakdown by age groups shows a very even spread, ranging from 58

percent of those aged 50 and over agreeing that they feel guilty when they do

something that is not environmentally friendly, up to 65 percent of all those

aged 20-39. A point to note is that 15-19 year olds show the highest percentage

strongly agreeing that they personally feel guilty when they do something that

is not environmentally friendly (18 percent). This indicates greater awareness

amongst teenagers than previous generations that protecting the environment is

a personal responsibility.

    When it comes to countries, India and Indonesia again lead for numbers

feeling guilty when they do something not environmentally sound, standing at 85

and 83 percent respectively - while South Korea (41 percent), Poland (38

percent) and Sweden (37 percent) bring up the rear. But it is in India and

Brazil (both 35 percent) where we see the greatest percentage of people giving

the strongest agreement about green guilt.

    Only buy things that appeal to beliefs

    Men and women are absolutely level (63 percent each) in agreeing that they

only buy products and services that appeal to their beliefs, values or ideals.

But women are slightly more likely to say they agree strongly with this

statement, at 17 percent compared to men's 15 percent.

    The split across age groups is slightly more varied, with around two thirds

of 30-39 year olds (68 percent) and 20-29 year olds (65 percent) agreeing

overall, compared to 57 percent of 15-19 year olds and those aged 60 or over.

When it comes to giving strong agreement that they only buy products and

services that appeal to their beliefs, the 40-49 year olds take the lead with

18 percent, compared to all the other age groups with 15 percent each.

    The breakdown by countries yet again shows India and Indonesia in the lead

- but this time India is well ahead, with 94 percent agreeing overall while

Indonesia follows with 78 percent, equal with Ukraine. India also has

significantly higher percentage agreeing strongly that they only buy products

and services that appeal to their beliefs, standing at 47 percent, compared to

the next closest country, South Africa, at 31 percent.

    View GfK's infographics:

http://www.gfk.com/news-and-events/press-room/press-releases/pages/three-quarters-of-consumers-say-brands-have-to-be-environmentally-responsible.aspx

    About the study

    GfK interviewed over 28,000 people aged 15 or older in 23 countries, either

online or face-to-face, in summer 2014. The countries included are Argentina,

Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia,

Italy, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden,

Turkey, UK, Ukraine and USA.

    Press Contact

    Amanda Martin

    Global PR

    +44-7919-624-688

    press@gfk.com

    Stefan Gerhardt

    Global PR

    +49-911-395-4440

    press@gfk.com

SOURCE: GfK