Poll: Older U.S. Consumers Buy the Most Green Products

ICOM conducted the household products survey in March and April 2008 with 6,036 people responding from across the United States.

The poll shows that despite higher costs, more than six in 10 U.S. homes now use environmentally friendly household products.

Both male and female groups 55 years and older reported above average usage of environmentally-friendly home goods.

How green is your home? (Photo courtesy The Company Store)

Males 65-69 years old are second, more than 1.7 times as likely to use green products than the average American.

"The data is very telling for marketers," said Peter Meyers ICOM vice president of marketing. "There is incredible interest brewing for sustainable products."

"While the numbers show that significant inroads have been made with the older demographics, they also suggest untapped potential in prime younger consumer groups to engage them with eco-friendly products," said Meyers.

Showing the penetration of green products into American homes, 61.9 percent of survey respondents said that they do use some type of environmentally friendly product.

When asked why they elect to purchase eco-friendly goods, a leading 33 percent of the group said it "makes me feel good about myself."

When asked why they elect not to purchase or use green products, 50 percent of non-adopters cited high prices as the main factor.

The next most common reason selected for avoiding green goods was, "I do not believe that they are that much better for the environment," said 17 percent of respondents.

Of those that said they do not use environmentally friendly products, both male and female demographics aged 25-34 years old were among the "least likely to use" eco-friendly products when compared with the national average.

"Younger demographics are still green, that is, inexperienced when it comes to engaging with environmentally friendly goods," said Meyers.

"The data suggests that targeting these groups with more calculated offers - such as at slightly more aggressive price points, appealing to their personal values or reinforcing the true benefits for the environment," he said, "could introduce green products to a new, promising consumer base."

Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2008. All rights reserved.