CBI study puts consumer information at centre of 'green' economy
Wed 09 March 2011
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Ensuring consumer buy-in is essential to growing a low carbon economy according to a new report published by the CBI. The report says that consumers remain, however, largely indifferent to many green and energy-efficient products.
The resarchers surveyed 2000 respondents and found that three-quarters do not think about energy efficiency when making the biggest purchase of their lives, a new home, but more than half (53%) do think about energy efficiency when buying a fridge. This points to the success of the A-G white goods labeling system, which provides clear standardised information on the energy efficiency of white goods.
The new car fuel economy label which uses a similar 'traffic light' system to white goods to indicate CO2 emission levels, is proving to be influential. The latest surveys show awareness of the scheme at almost 60% among new car buyers - with nearly 75% saying it provided information which influenced their purchase choice. (See associated link to CBI interview with LowCVP MD Greg Archer on the new car label.)
The CBI report was launched by Climate Change Secretary of State Chris Huhne, who stated that businesses should position low-carbon products as "the smart choice, the fun choice", and encouraged them to provide low-carbon products encouraging "green hedonism". Huhne said that both government and industry need to improve and increase attempts to "make it easier for people to make green choices and ensure they are thinking green at the critical decision point".
John Cridland, CBI Director-General, said: "Consumers are often baffled when faced with a variety of low-carbon products on sale, each making different green claims. Businesses need to provide clear, consistent labelling that becomes a trusted universal standard with the public."
With consumers accounting directly and indirectly for almost three quarters of UK carbon emissions, the CBI says a joint business-government taskforce should focus on building a mass market for low-carbon goods.
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