Low carbon products in demand despite challenging economic climate.
Recent Carbon Trust research has shown that consumer demand for lower-carbon products and services is growing, despite the tough economic climate. The research also reveals that consumers are more aware that the products they buy come at a high price in terms of carbon emissions across the supply chain. As a result, increasing numbers of people are prepared to change their shopping habits to help minimise this "embodied carbon" or carbon footprint associated with their purchases. In return, more and more leading businesses are responding to these changes by measuring and reducing their impact and engaging their customers in the debate.
The Carbon Trust figures also reveal that 45% of shoppers would be prepared to stop buying their favourite brands if they refused to commit to measuring their product's carbon footprint, a rate that has doubled over the past year from 22%. Brand loyalty is also at stake: 56% of people would be more loyal to a brand if they could see at a glance that it was taking steps to reduce its carbon footprint.
In addition, the research shows that a large percentage of people are prepared to make lifestyle changes to reduce their impact on the environment if they don't have to pay more: 70% said they would follow simple energy-saving advice on product packaging to reduce their carbon footprint. A quarter would consider taking fewer overseas holidays.
Against this backdrop, consumers want businesses to help them make environmentally aware choices and reduce their personal carbon footprint when they shop. This demand for information is creating a new market for carbon-labelled goods. When asked whether they would buy carbon-labelled goods over non-labelled goods of identical quality, 47% of people were more likely to choose those with a label. Perhaps surprisingly, despite the challenging economic climate one in five people would choose carbon-labelled products over non-labelled products even if they cost more.
So start using Do The Bright Thing and let solar panels generate the energy needed to make a product.
Full article on The Guardian
Share