Consumers are more savvy now about environmental products than we were in 2008, but there remains a gap between getting the information we want and what information is actually provided on product labels.
While a good portion 39 percent of consumers sometimes look for environmental labeling on their products, and 23 percent regularly do so, even these eco-conscious consumers are often unclear on the meaning, or feel misled by companies labeling when it comes to environmental terminology. Seventy-five percent of consumers wish that companies would go the extra step and define what the environmental terms on their packaging really mean; and forty one percent of consumers believe that green, eco-friendly or environmentally friendly terminology on a label means that the product is actually good or helpful to the environment, when in fact, that only means that the product is less bad than its non-green competitors.
This all translates to a population who is willing to be informed, but feels like the information offered is either lacking in detail or obfuscating the truth by not being more transparent. A very large portion of consumers are willing to put their money where the truth is, and take it away where the truth falls short. A stunning 71 percent of consumers will stop buying a particular product if they feel the labeling has been falsified or misleading as to its environmental friendliness or impact. Of that 71 percent, over a third (37 percent) will stop buying an entire brands line due to misleading or untruthful labeling.In light of this, companies who put a high value on transparency and truthfulness in branding and labeling will end up ahead of companies trying to pull the wool over consumers eyes with slick packaging and vague claims. In fact, 79 percent of consumers want companies to provide more information on their labels and 75 percent value truth in labeling enough to overlook perfection in a pro! duct th ey applaud a company making efforts to be environmentally conscientious and putting down in writing what those efforts are, and will purchase that product because of that honesty.There is still a long way to go in educating a public wishing for more information, when 51 percent feel overwhelmed by the messaging and options and 43 percent trust companies to tell them the truth. Although few consumers (19 percent) are likely to purchase a product based on an environmentally-friendly image on the label, a third will make a purchase based on environmental claims and just over half will buy because of certification.It is up to us, as consumers, to educate ourselves, our friends and our families about what eco-friendly and green really means and which companies are stepping up to the plate and helping us learn. With a combined effort of conscientiousness on the part of both the consumer and the company, we can move forward into a world of products that are all environmentally friendly and green and the question of what that really means will no longer need to be asked.- Jocelyn BroylesHeadline image by MandiBerg on FlikrStatistics and graphs provided by 2011 Cone Green Gap Trend Tracker Fact Sheet. Survey conducted March 7-8, 2011 by ORC International.
