“The Future is “Green” - A Major Report Examines Green Living in the United States - 2008- Research and Markets Report

Green Living in the United States 2008

<>- reprinted and excerpted from
http://www.researchandmarkets.com/
Mintel, Feb 2008,The “green” marketplace is one of the fastest growing, most dynamic sectors of the US economy. This report examines the size, scope, and growth of the green consumer marketplace, as well as driving forces that will shape its future. The report keeps an eye toward expected changes sector by sector, as well as short-term and long-term outlooks for the market as a whole.

We also explore the current trends and future outlook for eight key sectors of the green consumer marketplace, including personal care products, home building and home improvement supplies, electronics and appliances, automobiles, and travel.

Our exclusive consumer research identifies four types of green consumer: Super Greens, True Greens, Light Greens and Never Greens. A threefold increase in the ranks of the Super Greens and True Greens in just 16 months has driven growth in all sectors of the green marketplace. This report explores the special role of 18 to 24 year olds and college students in adoption of new green product categories, as well as the sometimes surprising influence of demographic factors such as race, ethnicity, education and household income.

In a new take on the green marketplace, we move beyond demographic categories to explore how green consumers think, identifying the lifestyle choices and personality characteristics that most closely relate to green behavior. These are the insights marketers need to reach out directly to core green lifestyle consumers.

In addition to a broad array of quantitative data presented for this report, we conducted qualitative research with respondents who described themselves as having already made lifestyle changes due to concerns about the environment. Our qualitative research explores the motivations that drive consumers toward green purchases, as well as the barriers to green shopping for different types of consumers, such as price premiums, perceptions of effectiveness and quality, and the critical importance of mainstream distribution.

This report covers many aspects of the emerging Green Market and has a huge scope of associated topics as well.

This is the Contents List:

Scope and Themes
Definition
Consumer research conducted for this report
Abbreviations and terms
Abbreviations
Terms
Executive Summary
Drivers and corporate developments
Climate change leads environmental concerns
Corporations scramble for “green” investing dollars
Slowing economy and rising fuel prices spur demand for energy efficiency
Health and safety concerns bolster the market
Market in transitional phase as green products mainstream
Green personal care goes corporate
Automakers scramble for position in green future
Consumer influences
Green consumers optimistic but skeptical
Consumers believe that “green” products work
Most consumers not willing to search for “green” products
Tolerance of price premiums at 10% or less
Efficacy, awareness, habit key issues in qualitative research
“Greenwashing” concerns reinforce need for more objective standards for “green” products
Demographics of Green living
Young adults key targets for cutting-edge “green” products
Asians lead; blacks lag in environmental interest
Students and college graduates committed to “green” lifestyle
Households with children pose a challenge for “green” marketers
“Green” lifestyle transcends demographics
Low-income households need not be excluded from the “green” marketplace
The future of Green living
Interest in buying “green” for major purchases skyrockets
Marketing of multiple values will ensure success of “green” products
The future is “green”
Market Drivers
Climate change continues to hold public attention
Figure 1: General attitudes toward environmental concerns, December 2007
Green investing dollars pour forth
Stagnant economy and rising fuel prices spur demand for energy-efficient products; limit willingness to pay
Figure 2: Willingness to pay extra for “green” products, December 2007
Product health and safety concerns spike following rash of recalls of Chinese imports
Figure 3: Attitudes toward health benefits of “green” products, by gender, December 2007
Large corporations enter the green marketplace in force
Green products linked to concepts of health and quality
Market Size and Trends
The LOHAS Market
Figure 4: Graph: LOHAS “green” market size, by segment, 2005
The U.S. Healthy Products, Healthy Planet Market
Figure 5: HP2 market size and forecast, at current and constant prices, 2002-12
The Natural Products Marketplace
Figure 6: Sales of natural products through conventional FDM and natural supermarkets, segmented by product type, 2004 and 2006
Market Segmentation
Introduction
Food and beverage
Figure 7: Sales of natural food and drink products at FDM and natural supermarkets, at current and constant prices, 2004-08
Green personal care growing 20% annually
Pet foods and supplies
Household cleaning products
Clothing and linens
Building, building materials and home improvement supplies
Certification systems blossom
Green building gets pop culture boost
Housing bubble bursts
Local mandates
Costs of green building shrink
Solar is hot
Green design goes from exception to rule
Electronics and appliances
Industry faces substantial sustainability and power consumption issues
New products ahead
CE recycling goes mainstream
Major appliances
Cars and trucks
Figure 8: Price premiums and estimated fuel savings for hybrid versus conventional passenger vehicles, 2008
Consumer services
Climate change concerns drive market for greener air travel
Carbon offsets to ease guilt
Hotels
Car travel
Finding and booking green travel
Super/True Green Population Tripled over 16 months
Figure 9: Change in frequency of “green” consumer population, August 2006-December 2007
Awareness and Use of “Green” Consumer Goods
Awareness of “green” household consumables
Figure 10: Frequency of purchasing different categories of “green” products, December 2007
All product categories show greater penetration among Asians and Hispanics
Education most important for awareness of established “green” categories
Awareness of “green” durable and infrequently purchased consumer consumables
Figure 11: Influence of “green” factors on major purchases, by category, December 2007
Youngest and Oldest Core of “Green” Market in Online Population
Introduction
Green categories by age
Figure 12: Frequency of buying “green” products, by age, December 2007
Attitudes toward recycling, pollution, and premiums
Figure 13: Environmental attitudes, by age, May 2006-June 2007
Interest in conservation tends to increase with age
Figure 14: Environmental behaviors, by age, December 2007
Seniors lead in “green” shopping choices
Figure 15: Environmental shopping behaviors, by age, December 2007
Interest in “green” shopping growing fastest among seniors
Figure 16: Influence of “green” factors on CE products, by age, December 2007
The Impact of Household Income
Introduction
Attitudes toward recycling and pollution
Figure 17: Environmental attitudes, by household income, May 2006-June 2007
Green shopping by the rich and poor
Figure 18: “Green” shopping habits, by household income, May 2006-June 2007
Race and Ethnicity
Introduction
Figure 19: Frequency of buying “green” products, by race/ethnicity, December 2007
Attitudes toward recycling and pollution
Figure 20: Environmental attitudes and behavior, by race/ethnicity, May 2006-June 2007
Looking forward, “green” factors to play a larger role
Figure 21: Influence of “green” factors on purchases of CE products, by race/ethnicity, December 2007
The Impact of Education
Introduction
Figure 22: Frequency of buying “green” products, by education level, December 2007
Figure 23: Frequency of buying “green” products, by student status, December 2007
Attitudes toward recycling and pollution
Figure 24: Environmental attitudes, by education level, May 2006-June 2007
Willingness to sacrifice convenience or income
Figure 25: Environmental behaviors, by education level, December 2007
Households with Children
Introduction
Figure 26: Environmental attitudes, by presence of children in the household, May 2006-June 2007
Convenience is a must for families with children
Figure 27: Environmental shopping behaviors, by presence of children in the household, December 2007
How do Greens Think?
Introduction
Figure 28: Environmental attitudes, by personality traits, May 2006-June 2007
Reasons for Buying or Not Buying Green
Introduction
Effectiveness/quality
Figure 29: Attitudes toward effectiveness of “green” products, December 2007
The majority of respondents do not see “green” products as safer
Figure 30: Attitudes toward health benefits of “green” products, by household income, December 2007
Health and savings vs. environmental concern
Figure 31: Main reasons for “green” shopping, by gender, December 2007
Figure 32: Main reasons for “green” shopping, by race/ethnicity, December 2007
Availability
Figure 33: Consumer experience with the availability of “green” products, December 2007
Figure 34: Consumer experience with the availability of “green” products, by age, December 2007
Will consumers pay more for “green” and energy-efficient products?
Figure 35: Attitudes toward the cost of “green” products, by gender, December 2007
Figure 36: Attitudes toward the cost of “green” products, by age, December 2007
Figure 37: Attitudes toward the cost of “green” products, by household income, December 2007
Figure 38: Attitudes toward the cost of “green” products, by race/ethnicity, December 2007
What is an acceptable premium for “green” products?
Figure 39: Willingness to pay extra for “green” products, by age, December 2007
Figure 40: Willingness to pay extra for “green” products, by HH income, race/ethnicity, presence of children, and student status, December 2007
How Do We Know It’s Really Green?
Figure 41: Attitudes toward the effectiveness of “green” shopping, by race/ethnicity, December 2007
More standards needed
“Greenwashing” concerns provide incentives for industry-led standards
Results from Mintel’s Qualitative Survey
Introduction
Figure 42: Descriptions of “green” lifestyle interviewees, January 2008
Environmental concerns
“Green” shopping commonalities in qualitative study
Availability and awareness problematic for “green” shoppers
Figure 43: Availability and awareness of “green” products, by respondent and location, January 2008
Habits are hard to break
Figure 44: “Habit” purchasing, January 2008
Many see link between personal health and planetary health
Figure 45: Respondents’ thoughts about effectiveness and quality of “green” products, January 2008
Product quality and function overriding issues for some
Figure 46: Effectiveness and quality of “green” products, January 2008
Prices need to be competitive
Figure 47: Respondents’ willingness to pay extra for “green” products, January 2008
A “Green” Future
Green market to lose trendiness
Christian conservatives joining the “green” movement
Fair trade and local to become the new “green”
Fair trade
Local
Appendix: HP2 Market Detail
Figure 48: HP2 market detail, 2005
Appendix: Trade Associations

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Specific large companies are mentioned such as -

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Wal-Mart Stores (USA)
Clorox Company , The
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Whole Foods Market Inc
American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

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This report costs about $4500 to buy - it is meant for big corporations to use to support their extensive marketing departments. Why the small guy cannot get their hands on such awesome research is probably a matter of pure economics of scale and competitiveness of the innovation curve. The summary of this report and others like it would be useful to anyone trying to “Green up” their business in the light of today’s trends and branding successes. I suggest that we can find a summary somewhere on the web. If I find it, I will post it for all of us to share. If you find it, please let me know!!!

Yours for Open Source,

Annie Green Jeans