Wednesday was Earth Day’s 45th anniversary and people all around the world were celebrating. As communities planted trees, organized cleanups and attended Earth Day fairs, the market research industry placed a spotlight on what being green means to brands and how important environmentally-responsible brand habits are to consumers.
It is clear that environmental awareness is something consumers are looking for when considering what products and services to buy. According to a study conducted by New York- based research firm GfK, internationally, 78 percent of women and 75 percent of men agree that brands and companies have to be environmentally responsible. Close to two-thirds of consumers surveyed say they only buy products and services that appeal to their beliefs or ideals.
As a consumer, I certainly align with the desire to purchase from and support brands that are environmentally responsible. It’s often difficult to find trustworthy information on the practices of brands I use. I’m generally stuck in the grocery aisle guessing if a company follows ethical production practices and if a brand’s packaging is really eco-friendly. In the end, many of my purchases just don’t coincide with my desire to be eco-friendly and I’m left feeling guilty and disappointed. The study shows I’m not alone in this as 63 percent of consumers say they feel guilty when they do something that is not environmentally friendly.
Forbes published the 50 brands deemed authentically green by each brand’s own customers in America, according to a study of the 550 brands included in New York- based research firm Brand Keys’ Customer Loyalty Engagement Index. As I went through the list, I asked myself if I would personally consider each brand to be green. While I try to be an informed consumer, I honestly knew very little about the environmental practices of the majority of brands listed. I expected to see some of the companies on the list such as Chipotle and Whole Foods, while others like Coke and McDonald’s came as a surprise. They say it isn’t easy being green. I’d add that for consumers, it isn’t easy knowing if brands are truly green.
The consumer desire to align with environmentally responsible brands paired with the increasing competition brands face for having a share of consumer spend make it all the more important for brands to communicate company practices and values. Good PR and once-a-year campaigns are often not enough to meet consumer expectations. How can brands better communicate their environmental efforts to consumers? What actions are brands taking to be environmentally responsible? What must be done for consumers to consider a brand authentically green?