OBSERVATION
by Hillary Smith
WHAT’S HAPPENING
- There are people out there who just don’t care. Or so it would seem, given the results of a new Mintel study which states that 10% of the U.S. population are skeptical, irritated and unmoved by environmental media (BrandWeek.com 7.22.08).
- And there could be more. According to Shelton Group, 26% of the population are unconcerned with helping the environment; they also tend to be upper income, middle aged and conservative males.
- The Natural Marketing Institute puts the number of never greens at 17% of the population. These consumers are regarded as “unconcerned,” give no priority to the environment, and show no environmentally responsible behavior (data from the 2008 Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability forum).
WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS
- Despite rampant greenwashing and an increasing number of companies jumping on the alterna-fueled bandwagon, not all consumers believe their purchases can result in a cleaner, healthier planet. Skepticism does and will continue to play a key role as the environmental saga continues to unfold. And beyond skeptics, some consumers simply don’t care beyond the moment.
- That said, these findings show that the majority of consumers are at least somewhat inclined to be environmentally aware as they’re shopping.
