Consumers back boycott of brands that fail eco test

Consumers have got the “green message” but remain unconvinced about companies’ reactions to environmental concerns and say consumers should boycott brands that fail to act and take steps to reduce their environmental impact.

Findings from Fabric, Media Planning Group’s research programme capturing the opinions of 50 families in the UK, show that 56% of respondents are cynical about companies’ environmental concerns, but a healthy 26% say they do take company claims seriously. Reasons for not taking claims seriously included “Businesses’ only loyalty lies with its corporate shareholders. ‘Profits before people’, that’s the true motto of a well-performing business.”

Perhaps the most surprising finding for companies is that 70% of respondents believe customers should boycott brands that do not reduce their carbon footprint, saying: “The only time companies listen is when their profits go down.”

Just 10% of families taking part in the research say they remain unconcerned about the environment and climate change, However, for almost 60% of respondents, concern for the environment is a recent step change in their opinions.

Companies will also take cheer from the fact that 51% of respondents think government is most responsible for encouraging change in consumption habits. However, the proportion who think it is companies’ responsibility is roughly the same as those who think it is up to consumers to act – 29% and 28% respectively.