Grocery stores do most to protect the environment, according to British consumers polled in a new survey.
The annual ImagePower® Global Green Brands Study polls more than 9,000 people in eight countries - and different countries have different ideas about which industry best protects the environment.
Between 18% and 20% of Americans and Australians think the energy industry does the best job of protecting the environment, and similar figures in Germany, India, China and Brazil think the technology sector does the best job, but 21% of those polled in the UK feel the grocery store industry is the top protector of the environment.
The poll also shows that worldwide, consumers who are wise to green choices in personal care, food and household products are now more ready to consider environmentally friendly products in the car, energy and technology sectors.
Packaging of products also plays a crucial part - worries about excessive and unnecessary packaging (71%), the use of recyclable materials (50%) and the way in which packaging can inform consumers of a products green credentials (over 50%) were concerns all rating highly in the poll.
Annie Longsworth from Cohn & Wolfe, a global communications agency involved in the poll, said: "Other than price, the two biggest influences on purchase decisions are on-package messaging and prior experience with the product, both of which satisfy the consumer need to understand a benefit beyond ‘saving the world’.
"It’s critical for green brands to communicate the real and tangible benefits of their products in addition to being green, which still feels like luxury to many consumers."
The poll also created a Top Ten list of Green companies, and, for the first time in the poll’s seven year history, the top four brands are all "born green" companies. Two of the top four, Tom’s of Maine and Burt’s Bees, can be found here at BigGreenSmile.
All of the products at BigGreenSmile have been carefully chosen both for their quality and their ability to "save the world", and we do our best to provide you with as much information as possible to help you make the right choices.
[Image: Northampton Museum]
