Environmental Leader

Four out of five people say they are still buying green products and services today – which sometimes cost more – even in the midst of a U.S. recession, according to a new study commissioned by Green Seal and EnviroMedia Social Marketing.

Half of the 1,000 people surveyed buy  just as many green products now as before the economic downturn, while 19 percent say they are buying more green products. Fourteen percent say they are buying fewer environmentally green products.

Just 9 percent of respondents say green advertising is their primary influencer. Twenty-one percent of consumers say a product’s reputation is the biggest factor they weigh when making purchasing decisions followed by word of mouth (19%) and brand loyalty (15%).

About one in three consumers say they don’t know how to tell if green product claims are true. One in 10 consumers blindly trusts green product claims.

Consumers are verifying green claims by reading the packaging (24%) and turning to research (going online, reading studies; 17%).