According to the report released by The Hartman Group, “Understanding the Consumer Perspective,” the term “sustainability” has little to no (single) meaning to consumers, as they ascribe very different personal meanings to this term. The report finds that 72% of US consumers believe their purchases have significant impact on society. Additionally, a full 71% say they are “somewhat likely” or “very likely” to pay a 10% premium for sustainable products.

The report finds that just over half (54%) of consumers claim any familiarity at all with the term “sustainability” and most of these consumers cannot define it appropriately upon probing. Only 5% indicate they know which companies support sustainability values. Only 12% indicate they know where to buy products from such companies.  

“Sustainability is a multi-dimensional topic that encompasses the environment, the family, the community and even the economy of today’s world,” said Laurie Demeritt, The Hartman Group President and COO.  She continued, “Many of the consumer values driving the interest in health and wellness stem from a foundation of sustainability. Sustainability, in a sense, is about preserving a certain condition or way of life; the ability to control one’s surroundings.”

“The dynamics of sustainability in American consumer culture will continue to change and evolve, just as dynamics behind so-called ‘green’ and ‘environmental’ markets have evolved. For those involved with speaking to consumers from a platform of sustainability, we feel that it is important to reiterate that we are currently experiencing a significant cultural shift in which consumers will continue to adapt their behavior to align with companies, products, and services which they find to be relevant to their current lifestyle,” said Harvey Hartman, Founder, Chairman & CEO.

About the Report:

This report is the first major integrated quantitative and qualitative study to find out how consumers feel about a world struggling to live in balance today for the benefit of future generations. The research for this report was conducted in the winter of 2006 and includes 150 hours of ethnographic research as well as a national quantitative survey with 1,606 respondents.

About The Hartman Group: The Hartman Group, Inc., founded 1989, is a full-service consulting and market research firm offering a wide range of services and products specializing on the health and wellness markets. The company’s headquarters are located in Bellevue, Washington.

For additional information about the report, visit The Hartman Group website:

www.hartman-group.com.

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