Last Updated on 18/07/2022
A survey has found that 80% of Britons say a brand’s green credentials at least influences their purchasing decisions.
The Post Office Shop reveals the UK high street could be missing out on millions of pounds as consumers report a perceived lack of effort by businesses to be more eco-friendly, with only 15% of Brits believe high street brands are doing enough to reduce their impact on the environment.
One in five shoppers say that a company’s eco-friendliness is their main priority when deciding where to shop, it appears many businesses could be compromising their market share. And a further 60% of Brits also admit to taking a business green efforts into consideration when shopping – though cost and quality are more important.
The survey was commissioned by the Post Office as part of its effort to get the British public buying more green-friendly goods for the home and office. Over twelve hundred responses were gathered relating to people’s perceptions of their own and businesses’ eco-efforts.
It showed a clear gender difference in attitudes towards the environment, as 21% of men don’t consider the environmental impact a priority at work, while this figure is just 12% for women.
The survey also suggests that the British public is sceptical of the government eco policies such as the Green Deal, with nearly a third believing that green legislation will either have no effect on the UK economy or that businesses will simply avoid it.
Other findings include:
- 57% of Brits contribute to eco-friendly efforts at work as well as at home
- 59% think their employer could do more to go green
- 14% of people don?t place any importance on green efforts
- Only one in five consider the UK as a leading force in world environmental responsibility
Professor William Young from the Sustainability Research Institute at the University of Leeds, said, ‘Consumers are doing their bit at home and expect high street brands to do it [as well]’ but without compromising quality or value for money.
‘The most successful retailing brands have environmental responsibility at the heart of their strategies, operations and products. Today, environmental responsibility is one of the key factors for a successful high street brand.’
Professor Young added: ‘Consumers now expect high street brands to offer ‘super green’ product ranges. However, they also expect them to have significantly reduced environmental impacts in all product ranges, in shops and within supply chains.
‘Consumers are more likely to buy ‘super green’ product ranges from retailers and brands they trust. They also trust green behaviour messages from them rather than from government but are becoming more sophisticated at spotting weak or false green claims.