Table of Contents
Scope and Themes
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- Definition
- Consumer research conducted for this report
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Executive Summary
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- Drivers and corporate developments
- Climate change leads environmental concerns
- Corporations scramble for “green” investing dollars
- Slowing economy and rising fuel prices spur demand for energy efficiency
- Health and safety concerns bolster the market
- Market in transitional phase as green products mainstream
- Green personal care goes corporate
- Automakers scramble for position in green future
- Consumer influences
- Green consumers optimistic but skeptical
- Consumers believe that “green” products work
- Most consumers not willing to search for “green” products
- Tolerance of price premiums at 10% or less
- Efficacy, awareness, habit key issues in qualitative research
- “Greenwashing” concerns reinforce need for more objective standards for “green” products
- Demographics of Green living
- Young adults key targets for cutting-edge “green” products
- Asians lead; blacks lag in environmental interest
- Students and college graduates committed to “green” lifestyle
- Households with children pose a challenge for “green” marketers
- “Green” lifestyle transcends demographics
- Low-income households need not be excluded from the “green” marketplace
- The future of Green living
- Interest in buying “green” for major purchases skyrockets
- Marketing of multiple values will ensure success of “green” products
- The future is “green”
Fast Forward Trends
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- Authenticity
- Upping the ante on “green”
- P.R. free products
- Corporations held to a higher standard than the consumer
- Beyond true “green”
- Fewer but pricier possessions
- An excuse to spend less
- It not only is “green”, but it also looks “green”
- “Green” is the good
- The return of the American Puritan
- A wider variety of “green” marketing messages
- The tyranny of the majority
- The nanny state to take on anti-”green” behavior
- Market for backlash products to emerge
Market Drivers
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- Climate change continues to hold public attention
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- Figure 1: General attitudes toward environmental concerns, December 2007
- Green investing dollars pour forth
- Stagnant economy and rising fuel prices spur demand for energy-efficient products; limit willingness to pay
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- Figure 2: Willingness to pay extra for “green” products, December 2007
- Product health and safety concerns spike following rash of recalls of Chinese imports
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- Figure 3: Attitudes toward health benefits of “green” products, by gender, December 2007
- Large corporations enter the green marketplace in force
- Green products linked to concepts of health and quality
Market Size and Trends
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- The LOHAS Market
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- Figure 4: Graph: LOHAS “green” market size, by segment, 2005
- The U.S. Healthy Products, Healthy Planet Market
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- Figure 5: HP2 market size and forecast, at current and constant prices, 2002-12
- The Natural Products Marketplace
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- Figure 6: Sales of natural products through conventional FDM and natural supermarkets, segmented by product type, 2004 and 2006
Market Segmentation
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- Introduction
- Food and beverage
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- Figure 7: Sales of natural food and drink products at FDM and natural supermarkets, at current and constant prices, 2004-08
- Green personal care growing 20% annually
- Pet foods and supplies
- Household cleaning products
- Clothing and linens
- Building, building materials and home improvement supplies
- Certification systems blossom
- Green building gets pop culture boost
- Housing bubble bursts
- Local mandates
- Costs of green building shrink
- Solar is hot
- Green design goes from exception to rule
- Electronics and appliances
- Industry faces substantial sustainability and power consumption issues
- New products ahead
- CE recycling goes mainstream
- Major appliances
- Cars and trucks
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- Figure 8: Price premiums and estimated fuel savings for hybrid versus conventional passenger vehicles, 2008
- Consumer services
- Climate change concerns drive market for greener air travel
- Carbon offsets to ease guilt
- Hotels
- Car travel
- Finding and booking green travel
Super/True Green Population Tripled over 16 months
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- Figure 9: Change in frequency of “green” consumer population, August 2006-December 2007
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Awareness and Use of “Green” Consumer Goods
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- Awareness of “green” household consumables
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- Figure 10: Frequency of purchasing different categories of “green” products, December 2007
- All product categories show greater penetration among Asians and Hispanics
- Education most important for awareness of established “green” categories
- Awareness of “green” durable and infrequently purchased consumer consumables
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- Figure 11: Influence of “green” factors on major purchases, by category, December 2007
Youngest and Oldest Core of “Green” Market in Online Population
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- Introduction
- Green categories by age
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- Figure 12: Frequency of buying “green” products, by age, December 2007
- Attitudes toward recycling, pollution, and premiums
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- Figure 13: Environmental attitudes, by age, May 2006-June 2007
- Interest in conservation tends to increase with age
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- Figure 14: Environmental behaviors, by age, December 2007
- Seniors lead in “green” shopping choices
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- Figure 15: Environmental shopping behaviors, by age, December 2007
- Interest in “green” shopping growing fastest among seniors
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- Figure 16: Influence of “green” factors on CE products, by age, December 2007
The Impact of Household Income
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- Introduction
- Attitudes toward recycling and pollution
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- Figure 17: Environmental attitudes, by household income, May 2006-June 2007
- Green shopping by the rich and poor
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- Figure 18: “Green” shopping habits, by household income, May 2006-June 2007
Race and Ethnicity
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- Introduction
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- Figure 19: Frequency of buying “green” products, by race/ethnicity, December 2007
- Attitudes toward recycling and pollution
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- Figure 20: Environmental attitudes and behavior, by race/ethnicity, May 2006-June 2007
- Looking forward, “green” factors to play a larger role
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- Figure 21: Influence of “green” factors on purchases of CE products, by race/ethnicity, December 2007
The Impact of Education
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- Introduction
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- Figure 22: Frequency of buying “green” products, by education level, December 2007
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- Figure 23: Frequency of buying “green” products, by student status, December 2007
- Attitudes toward recycling and pollution
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- Figure 24: Environmental attitudes, by education level, May 2006-June 2007
- Willingness to sacrifice convenience or income
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- Figure 25: Environmental behaviors, by education level, December 2007
Households with Children
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- Introduction
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- Figure 26: Environmental attitudes, by presence of children in the household, May 2006-June 2007
- Convenience is a must for families with children
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- Figure 27: Environmental shopping behaviors, by presence of children in the household, December 2007
How do Greens Think?
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- Introduction
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- Figure 28: Environmental attitudes, by personality traits, May 2006-June 2007
Reasons for Buying or Not Buying Green
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- Introduction
- Effectiveness/quality
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- Figure 29: Attitudes toward effectiveness of “green” products, December 2007
- The majority of respondents do not see “green” products as safer
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- Figure 30: Attitudes toward health benefits of “green” products, by household income, December 2007
- Health and savings vs. environmental concern
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- Figure 31: Main reasons for “green” shopping, by gender, December 2007
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- Figure 32: Main reasons for “green” shopping, by race/ethnicity, December 2007
- Availability
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- Figure 33: Consumer experience with the availability of “green” products, December 2007
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- Figure 34: Consumer experience with the availability of “green” products, by age, December 2007
- Will consumers pay more for “green” and energy-efficient products?
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- Figure 35: Attitudes toward the cost of “green” products, by gender, December 2007
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- Figure 36: Attitudes toward the cost of “green” products, by age, December 2007
- Figure 37: Attitudes toward the cost of “green” products, by household income, December 2007
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- Figure 38: Attitudes toward the cost of “green” products, by race/ethnicity, December 2007
- What is an acceptable premium for “green” products?
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- Figure 39: Willingness to pay extra for “green” products, by age, December 2007
- Figure 40: Willingness to pay extra for “green” products, by HH income, race/ethnicity, presence of children, and student status, December 2007
How Do We Know It’s Really Green?
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- Figure 41: Attitudes toward the effectiveness of “green” shopping, by race/ethnicity, December 2007
- More standards needed
- “Greenwashing” concerns provide incentives for industry-led standards
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Results from Mintel’s Qualitative Survey
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- Introduction
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- Figure 42: Descriptions of “green” lifestyle interviewees, January 2008
- Environmental concerns
- “Green” shopping commonalities in qualitative study
- Availability and awareness problematic for “green” shoppers
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- Figure 43: Availability and awareness of “green” products, by respondent and location, January 2008
- Habits are hard to break
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- Figure 44: “Habit” purchasing, January 2008
- Many see link between personal health and planetary health
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- Figure 45: Respondents’ thoughts about effectiveness and quality of “green” products, January 2008
- Product quality and function overriding issues for some
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- Figure 46: Effectiveness and quality of “green” products, January 2008
- Prices need to be competitive
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- Figure 47: Respondents’ willingness to pay extra for “green” products, January 2008
A “Green” Future
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- Green market to lose trendiness
- Christian conservatives joining the “green” movement
- Fair trade and local to become the new “green”
- Fair trade
- Local
Appendix: HP2 Market Detail
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- Figure 48: HP2 market detail, 2005
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Appendix: Trade Associations
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