PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SCA, a global personal hygiene product company and one of the most sustainable companies in the world, today announced the release of survey results showing an uptick in consumer spending on green products and services. This is the third year SCA has conducted a survey to determine green habits, furthering the company’s commitment to leadership in the green and clean marketplace.
This year’s results are being debuted for World Environment Day on June 5, a United Nations observance of environmental issues. The survey – which was conducted online among 2,124 U.S. adults aged 18 years and older from April 25 - 27, 2011 by Harris Interactive® on behalf of SCA Tissue North America – found that 77 percent of American adults purchase green products/services, including 57 percent who do so because they believe it’s better for the environment. These results, as well as those from the 2009 and 2010 surveys, showcase sustainability as a new way of life – with both of the previous surveys revealing over seven in 10 adults continued purchasing “green” products and services, even during the down economy.
“The results stemming from our annual research continue to confirm that the use of responsible products and services is becoming a core value and a driver of behavior,” said Mike Kapalko, SCA Tissue North America sustainability marketing manager. “People know how important their purchasing decisions are and are ensuring they make the best choices for themselves and the planet while doing day-to-day activities like shopping and dining out.”
Third Party Certifications Add Validity to Sustainability Claims
Consumers are careful about how they verify companies’ claims to sustainability, with 72 percent of American adults indicating they know how to determine if a green claim or statement is true. The survey also revealed that only six percent of American adults rely on reputation, awards or news stories about the company to verify green claims or statements. However, 21 percent feel that independent third party certification is the most reliable method to determine viability.
“Green certifications are an unbiased way to let your customers know your efforts are genuine and authentic,” said Tork Green Hygiene Council™ member Joshua Radoff. “Consumers are increasingly wary of greenwashing and are looking to claims that are substantive and backed by third party certifications wherever possible.”
The survey also showed consumers look to product offerings to determine a brand’s commitment to environmental stewardship. One quarter (26 percent) of American adults feel designations on menus or store shelves are the best ways for a business/restaurant/store to show their commitment to being green – which is fairly consistent with the 28 percent who felt these communication tactics were the best ways in 2010 – and continues to illustrate the importance of sharing sustainability information at the point of purchase.
Green Restaurants and Businesses at an Advantage
American adults showed a willingness to stand behind restaurants that prove to be socially and environmentally responsible, with 53 percent indicating they would choose a restaurant fitting this description over another which didn’t. Twenty-three percent said they would make the same choice even if the wait time was longer.
While patrons are fond of these eateries, they do expect to pay a premium price for the choice. Forty-seven percent of American adults indicated they expect to pay more at a restaurant with a social and environmental focus.
The majority of American adults (56 percent) would be equally as likely to visit a restaurant or business focused on being green as they would to one that did not, regardless of the distance/effort required – which is similar to the 55 percent showcasing the same opinion in 2010. This continues to provide opportunities for business owners to emphasize their own sustainability efforts and, in turn, ensure they are speaking to these customers actively seeking out sustainable businesses.
For more information on how to green your business, visit the Tork Green Hygiene Council blog.
About Tork
The Tork brand offers a complete range of products and services within hygiene and cleaning for away-from-home washrooms, healthcare, food service and industry. Through customer understanding and particular expertise in hygiene and sustainability, Tork has become a market leader in many segments and a committed partner to businesses in over 90 countries. Tork is a global brand in the SCA portfolio. To keep up with the latest Tork news and innovations, please visit www.torkusa.com
About SCA Tissue
Headquartered in Philadelphia, SCA’s North American tissue division is one of the three largest producers of Away From Home tissue products in North America and the first American papermaker to earn EcoLogoTM certification for its environmentally sustainable processes and products. In the United States, SCA annually turns more than 750,000 tons of recycled paper into 100-percent recycled tissues, towels and napkins under the global Tork brand. More information is available at www.torkusa.com.
About SCA
SCA is a global hygiene and paper company that develops and produces personal-care products, tissue, packaging solutions, publication papers and solid-wood products. Sales are conducted in some 100 countries. SCA has many well-known brands, including the global brands TENA® and Tork®. Sales in 2010 were $15 billion. SCA has approximately 45,000 employees. For more information, please visit http://sca.com/us.
Survey Methodology
Harris Interactive® fielded the 2009, 2010 & 2011 studies on behalf of SCA Tissue via its Harris Poll QuickQuerySM online omnibus service. The 2011 survey was conducted from April 25th - 27th, 2011, interviewing a nationwide sample of 2,124 U.S. adults aged 18 years and older. The 2010 survey was conducted from April 28th – 30th, 2010 interviewing a nationwide sample of 2,131 U.S. adults aged 18 years and older. The 2009 survey was conducted from March 27th – 31st, 2009 interviewing a nationwide sample of 2014 U.S. adults aged 18 years and older. Results were weighted as needed for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region, and household income. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents’ propensity to be online.
All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling, are subject to multiple sources of error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate, including sampling error, coverage error, error associated with non-response, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments. Therefore, Harris Interactive avoids the words “margin of error” as they are misleading. All that can be calculated are different possible sampling errors with different probabilities for pure, unweighted, random samples with 100 percent response rates. These are only theoretical because no published polls come close to this ideal. Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in Harris Interactive surveys. The data have been weighted to reflect the composition of the U.S. adult population. Because the sample is based on those who agreed to be invited to participate in the Harris Interactive online research panel, no estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.
About Harris Interactive
Harris Interactive is one of the world’s leading custom market research firms, leveraging research, technology, and business acumen to transform relevant insight into actionable foresight. Known widely for the Harris Poll and for pioneering innovative research methodologies, Harris offers expertise in a wide range of industries including healthcare, technology, public affairs, energy, telecommunications, financial services, insurance, media, retail, restaurant, and consumer package goods. Serving clients in over 215 countries and territories through our North American, European, and Asian offices and a network of independent market research firms, Harris specializes in delivering research solutions that help us – and our clients – stay ahead of what’s next. For more information, please visit www.harrisinteractive.com.