Consumers care about the environment

Retailers at Green Retail 2008 have been told that shoppers are becoming increasingly concerned about the environmental and ethical impacts of the products that they buy.

At the two day event, put on the help businesses address sustainability issues, delegates were presented with research by Ipsos Mori showing that in January 2007 one in five people said that the environment was the most important issue facing Britain. The figure has since fallen to 8%, but this still represents a peak compared to the last decade.

The research by Ipsos Mori also found that 8 in 10 people want to know the efforts companies are making to be more green and ethical. However, 79% of those polled also thought that companies mislead consumers regarding their commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR) policies.

The consumer group most likely to be concerned about green issues was found to be middle-aged, affluent people with children.

Head of corporate responsibility at Ipsos Mori, Jenny Dawkins, said of the results: “Environment remains the issue that people want companies to pay attention to over the next few years.”

She added that 15% of consumers admit that they deliberately chose not to buy something in the last year because of ethical or environmental issues.

Delegates at the conference were also addressed by Martin Blake, head of CSR and sustainability at Royal Mail. Blake shared advice from Royal Mail’s Carbon Management Programme, and said that the company’s environmental improvements make sound business sense as they are expected to save £133.5 million.

“For me,” said Blake, “the business case sells it and when you link it to the other issues on the carbon agenda, it becomes a bit of a no brainer.”