855 Boylston Street | Boston MA 02116 617.227.2111 | www.conecomm.com CONSUMERS TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR “GREEN” ACTIONS BUT AREN’T FOLLOWING THROUGH, ACCORDING TO LATEST CONE COMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH Facing resource and knowledge barriers, Americans look to companies for help BOSTON (April 2, 2013) – Earth Day may be just around the corner, but consumers are buying with an eye toward “green” all year long. A record-high 71 percent of Americans consider the environment when they shop, up from 66 percent in 2008*. Additionally, nearly half (45%) of consumers actively seek out environmental information about the products they buy, according to the five-year benchmark of the 2013 Cone Communications Green Gap Trend Tracker. ACCOUNTABILITY VERSUS ACTION Even as “green” becomes increasingly top of mind, Americans still struggle with their role in the lifecycle of products with an environmental benefit. Nine-in-10 said they believe it’s their responsibility to properly use and dispose of these products, but action isn’t aligning with intent: • Only 30% say they often use products in a way that achieves the intended environmental benefit • 42% say they dispose of products in a way that fulfills the intended environmental benefit Despite the lack of consistent follow-through, consumers are showing an inclination to learn more. Americans report they regularly read and follow instructions on how to properly use (71%) or dispose (66%) of a product. Forty-one percent said they perform additional research to determine how best to utilize and discard a product for maximum benefit. CLOSING THE GAP: ACCESS AND COMMUNICATIONS Nearly all respondents (85%) want companies to educate them on how to properly use and dispose of products. But they identify significant barriers to doing so, as well. One-third of consumers (33%) cited not having the adequate resources, such as disposal bins and community access, as the primary reason for not disposing or using products as intended, while 20 percent stated they simply do not know how to do so. Consumer understanding of environmental messages also presents an obstacle. Although more than 60 percent of respondents say they understand the environmental terms companies use in their advertising, the majority continue to erroneously believe common expressions such as “green” or “environmentally friendly” mean a product has a positive (40%) or neutral (22%) impact on the environment. Fewer were able to correctly identify these terms as meaning the product has a lighter impact than other similar products (22%) or less than it used to (2%). Despite the attention given to product development and environmental marketing, consumer misunderstanding of “green” claims has remained flat at around 60 percent since 2008. “The new green gap is about consumers only taking the idea of responsibility so far, despite feeling responsible for proper use and disposal,” says Liz Gorman, Cone Communications’ senior vice president of Sustainable Business Practices. “They’re buying with the environment in mind, but they rely on companies to provide access and education to truly ‘close the loop.’” * 2008 Green Gap Survey
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855 Boylston Street | Boston MA 02116 617.227.2111 | www.conecomm.com
CONSUMERS TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR “GREEN” ACTIONS BUT AREN’T FOLLOWING THROUGH, ACCORDING TO LATEST CONE COMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH
Facing resource and knowledge barriers, Americans look to companies for help
BOSTON (April 2, 2013) – Earth Day may be just around the corner, but consumers are buying with an eye toward “green” all year long. A record-high 71 percent of Americans consider the environment when they shop, up from 66 percent in 2008*. Additionally, nearly half (45%) of consumers actively seek out environmental information about the products they buy, according to the five-year benchmark of the 2013 Cone Communications Green Gap Trend Tracker.
ACCOUNTABILITY VERSUS ACTION
Even as “green” becomes increasingly top of mind, Americans still struggle with their role in the lifecycle of products with an environmental benefit. Nine-in-10 said they believe it’s their responsibility to properly use and dispose of these products, but action isn’t aligning with intent: • Only30% say they often use products in a way that achieves the intended environmental benefit • 42% say they dispose of products in a way that fulfills the intended environmental benefit
Despite the lack of consistent follow-through, consumers are showing an inclination to learn more. Americans report they regularly read and follow instructions on how to properly use (71%) or dispose (66%) of a product. Forty-one percent said they perform additional research to determine how best to utilize and discard a product for maximum benefit.
CLOSING THE GAP: ACCESS AND COMMUNICATIONS
Nearly all respondents (85%) want companies to educate them on how to properly use and dispose of products.Buttheyidentifysignificantbarrierstodoingso,aswell.One-thirdofconsumers(33%)citednot having the adequate resources, such as disposal bins and community access, as the primary reason for not disposing or using products as intended, while 20 percent stated they simply do not know how to do so.
Consumer understanding of environmental messages also presents an obstacle. Although more than 60 percent of respondents say they understand the environmental terms companies use in their advertising, the majority continue to erroneously believe common expressions such as “green” or “environmentally friendly” mean a product has a positive (40%) or neutral (22%) impact on the environment. Fewer were able to correctly identify these terms as meaning the product has a lighter impact than other similar products (22%) or less than it used to (2%). Despite the attention given to product development and environmental marketing, consumer misunderstanding of “green” claims has remained flat at around 60 percent since 2008.
“The new green gap is about consumers only taking the idea of responsibility so far, despite feeling responsible for proper use and disposal,” says Liz Gorman, Cone Communications’ senior vice president of Sustainable Business Practices. “They’re buying with the environment in mind, but they rely on companies to provide access and education to truly ‘close the loop.’”
* 2008 Green Gap Survey
855 Boylston Street | Boston MA 02116 617.227.2111 | www.conecomm.com
HONESTY AND CLARITY TRUMP PERFECTION
Almost three-quarters (71%) of consumers wish companies would do a better job helping them understand environmental terms. Although they feel overwhelmed by the volume of messages in the marketplace, consumers prioritize authenticity over perfection and will punish companies if they feel misled: • 48% percent say they are overwhelmed by environmental messages • 69% say it’s okay if a company is not environmentally perfect as long as it is honest • 78% say they will boycott a product if they discover an environmental claim to be misleading
When it comes to finding those environmental messages, consumers are primarily looking on the product itself, signaling prime real estate for companies looking to communicate important environmental information: • 45% say they are most likely to use on-pack resources for information about how to properly use and dispose of environmental products • 26% say they are most likely to use an online search
“Consumers are ready to follow through on the intended use or disposal of environmentally preferred products, but they need companies’ help,” Gorman explains. “This is the next evolution of environmental marketing. Clear and candid communication can ensure consumers understand the important role they play in minimizing the impacts associated with the product’s lifecycle.”
About the Research The2013ConeCommunicationsGreenGapTrendTrackerpresentsthefindingsofanonlinesurveyconductedMarch7-10,2013byORCInternationalamongademographicallyrepresentativesampleof1,068adults,comprising 552 men and 516 women 18 years of age and older. The margin of error associated with a sample of thissizeis±3%ata95%levelofconfidence.Somefiguresmaynotaddupto100percentduetorounding. About Cone Communications: Cone Communications (www.conecomm.com) is a public relations and marketing agency known for igniting brands with high-impact strategies and programs based in deep insights, unique subject matter expertise and innovation. Focusing on key areas such as consumer product media relations, social media, cause branding and marketing, corporate social responsibility, nonprofit marketing, corporate communications and crisis prevention/management – the agency is positioned to help clients achieve both business and societal outcomes. Cone CommunicationsisapartofDiversifiedAgencyServices,adivisionofOmnicomGroupInc.
About Diversified Agency Services DiversifiedAgencyServices(DAS),adivisionofOmnicomGroupInc.(NYSE:OMC)(www.omnicomgroup.com),managesOmnicom’sholdingsinavarietyofmarketingcommunicationsdisciplines.DASincludesover200companies, which operate through a combination of networks and regional organizations, serving international and local clients through more than 700 offices in 71 countries. About Omnicom Group Inc. OmnicomGroupInc.(NYSE:OMC)(www.omnicomgroup.com)isaleadingglobalmarketingandcorporatecommunicationscompany.Omnicom’sbrandednetworksandnumerousspecialtyfirmsprovideadvertising,strategic media planning and buying, digital and interactive marketing, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries.
855 Boylston Street | Boston MA 02116 617.227.2111 | www.conecomm.com
Americans consider the environmental impacts of their purchasing:
Every time they shop
Regularly
Sometimes
Rarely
Never
0 10 20 30 40 50
7%8%
9%
20%19%
20%
10%12%
15%
20%25%
21%
44%39%
36%
2013
2012
2008
Americans believe it’s their responsibility to properly use and dispose of “green” products, but they also rely on companies’ help:
80%
It is my responsibility to properly use and dispose of “green” products for
the greatest environmental benefit
I don’t believe it’s my responsibility to properly use and dispose of "green” products; I think I make enough of a
positive impact by simply buying products with environmental claims
Companies are responsible for making sure consumers like me know how to properly use and dispose of “green”
products for the greatest environmental benefit
90%
85%
27%
0 20 40 60 80 100
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2013 GREEN GAP TREND TRACKERFACT SHEET
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In the past six months, Americans have:
Americans give the following reasons for not usingor disposing of a “green” product as intended:
80%
I don’t have enough time
I don’t have the proper resources, such as disposalbins or community access
I don’t know how to do so properly
It’s not important or a priority for me to do so
Used a product in a way that achieved its intended
environmental benefit
Read and followed instructions on how to
properly use a product with an environmental claim
Read and followed instructions on how to
properly dispose of a product with an environmental claim
Done additional research to learn how to properly use and/or
dispose of a product with an environmental claim
None of these; I always use and dispose of “green” products properly
19%
10%
8%30%
33%
75% 71% 66%
41%
0
20
40
60
80
100
2013 GREEN GAP TREND TRACKERFACT SHEET
5855 Boylston Street | Boston MA 02116 617.227.2111 | www.conecomm.com
If consumers discover an environmental claim is misleading, they will:
Continue buying the product
22%
23%
78%
77%
Stop buying the product
0 20 40 60 80 100
2013
2012
When Americans see a product advertised as “green” or “environmentally friendly,” they believe it means:
0 10 20 30 40 50
2013
2012
2008
The product has a positive [i.e., beneficial] impact on the
environment
40%36%
48%
9%11%
7%
2%3%
4%
22%25%
18%
22%18%
14%
The product has a lighter impact than other
similar products
The product has a neutral impact on the environment
They don’t believe it means anything
The product has a negative impact, but less
than it used to
They don’t know what it means
5%6%
10%
2013 GREEN GAP TREND TRACKERFACT SHEET
6855 Boylston Street | Boston MA 02116 617.227.2111 | www.conecomm.com
Americans’ beliefs about environmental messaging by companies:
I understand the environmental terms
companies use in their advertising
I am overwhelmed by the amount of environmental
messages I hear and see
I trust companies to tell me the truth
It is okay if a company is not environmentally
perfect, as long as it is honest about its
environmental efforts
I wish companies would do a better job helping me
understand the environmental terms they use to talk about their products and services
