Green Buyers Grow As Economy Sinks

February 19, 2009

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Despite the dire state of the economy, 34 percent of American consumers indicate they are more likely to buy environmentally responsible products today, and another 44 percent indicate their environmental shopping habits have not changed as a result of the economy. Eight percent say they are less likely to buy. This is according to the results of the 2009 Cone Consumer Environmental Survey.

Many consumers are inclined to hold companies accountable for their environmental commitments today and in the future:

- 35 percent of Americans have higher interest in the environment today than they did one year ago;
- 35 percent of Americans have higher expectations for companies to make and sell environmentally responsible products and services during the economic downturn; and,
- 70 percent of Americans indicate that they are paying attention to what companies are doing with regard to the environment today, even if they cannot buy until the future.

As consumer confidence in companies dips to record lows, trust in environmental messages remains surprisingly resilient, according to Cone. Nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of Americans say they trust companies to tell them the truth in their environmental messaging. There is one caveat: Most consumers (85 percent) believe companies should communicate their environmental commitments year-round.

The 2009 Cone Consumer Environmental Survey presents the findings of an online survey conducted January 29-30, 2009 by Opinion Research Corporation among a demographically representative U.S. sample of 1,087 adults, comprising 518 men and 569 women 18 years of age and older. The margin of error associated with a sample of this size is ± 3%.

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