2006 'year of environment'
Thursday, 21 Dec 2006 00:01
Consumers want a green world in 2007
The last 12 months have been a "tipping-point" in consumers' interest in environmental issues, market research firm Mintel has claimed.
A new report published today claims that growing numbers of consumers are deliberately choosing to prioritise environmental concerns when purchasing products, using electricity and disposing of waste.
High-profile environmental concerns like this summer's drought, the government's Stern report on climate change and widespread acceptance of the impact of carbon emissions have caused 55 per cent of people to increase their recycling levels, while more people have switched to greener energy consumers, Mintel says.
"2006 has proved to be a tipping point for the eco-warrior, as environmental issues and greener lifestyles have gone mainstream," Mintel's head of customer solutions, Helen Osman, commented.
"British consumers are clearly becoming more aware of the impact they have on the world around us and are beginning to make changes to their lifestyles."
There are limitations on the growing importance of the environment to the consumer, however; just two per cent said they had reduced flying to help the environment and only 11 per cent had deliberately cut down their car use for the same purpose.