Abstract
Sustainability means different things to different people. Asked to identify
what the term means to them, consumers most frequently respond "the ability to
last over time" (76%) and "the ability to support oneself." Sustainability is
also strongly associated with environmental concerns, whereby consumers are
being challenged to develop and express an "eco-consciousness" in their daily
habits and purchases. Thus, nearly half of consumers associate sustainability
with conserving natural resources and with recycling.
But using "eco-conscious" or "green" as synonymous with sustainability unduly
limits the term. "Green" falls short as a description for the variety of
social, economic and environmental issues that real-world individuals believe
are important to sustaining themselves, their communities, and society at
large. Adoption of sustainable products mirrors the health and wellness
progression that The Hartman Group has previously reported, in which consumers
first consider the impacts of things in the body, followed by on the body, and
finally around the body.
As consumers become more educated about the environmental, social, and
economic implications of their shopping habits, their health and wellness
motivations dovetail with societal concerns, such that four zones of
sustainability become relevant to purchasing choices:
- The Personal Benefit Zone
- The Environmental Zone
- The Social Zone
- The Economic Zone
All of these zones apply the food and beverage market, which is central to
consumer perceptions of sustainability. In fact, many of the attributes that
generally describe quality eating experiences, particularly freshness, also
resonate as sustainable in the food and beverage category. Within the personal
care market, "natural" remains a meaningful reference point for a variety of
personal care products, even if the term has lost significance in other
packaged good categories. Moreover, attributes such as "chemical free" and
"not tested on animals" are important considerations for purchasers of
conventional and sustainable personal care products alike.
Household cleaning products with a sustainable side have begun to enter the
American mainstream. Formerly, the act of cleaning was a form of "germ
warfare," and entailed a combative relationship between consumers and their
environment. Recently, however, more consumers talk about the idea of working
with nature, not against it, to naturally restore balance to their home
environment.
Increased media coverage of tainted products due to human error and globalized
production has increased consumer awareness of the potential negative impacts
of over-the-counter (OTC) medications and supplements, whether in pill or
other forms. Thus, about half of the over-the-counter medicine and supplement
products in the U.S. market now feature some type of sustainability claim,
whether based on manufacturing practices, product formulation, or packaging.
Report Methodology
This report series was jointly produced by The Hartman Group and Packaged
Facts, and is based on The Hartman Group' s 2009 multi-category study,
Sustainability: The Rise of Consumer Responsibility. In addition, Packaged
Facts provides an update of consumer attitudes and spending based on various
Packaged Facts market-specific studies, a Packaged Facts February 2009 online
consumer poll, and Experian Simmons national consumer surveys fielded November
2008 through June 2009.
| 
View Cart
