Consumer Behavior
Impact of brain washing

Research Shows US Shoppers Apathetic on Sustainability

Burgess COMMENTARY
Is any of this a surprise? The USA is the home of Madison Avenue and advertising ... and these folk are very good at what they do. There has been many decades of brain washing the public so that people feel the need to buy and buy and buy, which in turns made the USA's GDP grow, and corporate profits grow and stock prices grow and in turn advertising budgets to grow. This cycle worked OK when the world was a simpler place, and there were fewer people on the planet engaged in high consumption life-styles. This business and economic model will not work for society in the 21st century and, obviously, has to change. I argue that the way for change to be facilitated is to get the metrics right. This can be done, but asking the mainstream corporate leaders nicely is probably not going to work. This is a system dysfunction, and many things have to change at the same time, which is why an effective metrics system will address social and economic performance at all the points of decision making. Peter Burgess TrueValueMetrics
Peter Burgess

Research Shows US Shoppers Apathetic on Sustainability Image credit: The Big Picture

Most US consumers do not consider sustainability when grocery shopping and are largely apathetic compared to European counterparts, according to a new research report from The Big Picture, a New York- and London-based design research agency.

The research reveals that most Americans would not select a product with ‘sustainable’ credentials for two key reasons: sustainable products are isolated in separate aisles in US supermarkets, requiring consumers to consciously seek them out; and there is a general lack of knowledge among consumers about the benefits of sustainable production.

The Big Picture’s design researchers carried out a series of in-depth qualitative interviews with consumers in the US, the UK, Italy and Germany. The research focused primarily on the Laundry and Tea/Coffee categories and tested brands including Starbucks, Lipton and Arm & Hammer.

“In the US, whilst mainstream consumers are beginning to engage with organic produce, they have little or no desire to lead a more sustainable lifestyle, which is largely due to a lack of direct marketing by government and business to consumers, and the price premium often involved,” said Stuart Costley, Senior Vice President of The Big Picture’s newly opened US offices in New York.

Among those Europeans surveyed, the research showed that consumers in Germany are the most sustainably-focused, or ‘ethical-elites.’ The UK ranked second with a combination of ‘ethical-elites,’ ‘feel-gooders’ (those that buy some sustainable products) and ‘ethical-apathetics’ (those yet to be convinced). The study also found that while Italians have good sustainability awareness, it still is seen as an emerging trend and not an established driver.

The Big Picture says the findings will be important for companies such as Coca-Cola, Unilever and P&G, who are leading an international, cross-company effort to tackle consumer lifestyle issues to foster more sustainable consumption patterns by 2050. The research comes as the agency launches its first office in the US — a market that has become crucial for its major fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) clients, which include GSK, Unilever and Reckitt & Benckiser.

“Brands clearly need to look at educating consumers on the benefits of choosing sustainable products. There is also a need for recognizable logos that identify sustainable brands, such as the Fair Trade mark in the UK. This is where a coherent partnership approach between brands, industry groups and other interests could make a mark,” Costley added.

On another, more optimistic note, recent research by BBMG, SustainAbility and GlobeScan revealed a new segment of conscious consumers, dubbed 'Aspirationals' — a majority (65 percent) of consumers polled across six international markets (both developed and emerging) who are seeking to reconcile their desire for shopping and style with responsibility to the environment and society through their purchases. Also, a recent study by the Center for Culinary Development found that growing consumer awareness of the vulnerable state of the global environment and food supply, along with increased education about ecologically sound foods, will lead to a long-term increase in environmentally conscious eating. Another recent report from the Sustainable Restaurant Association showed that almost half (43 percent) of diners say they would pay up to 10 percent more for a meal in a sustainable restaurant.