Consumers 'not buying green claims'
<a href="http://www2.smallbusiness.co.uk/channels/sales-and-marketing/news/1055461/consumers-not-buying-green-claims.thtml">Consumers 'not buying green claims'</a>
The majority of customers are wary of believing businesses' green credentials, with some concerned that they are used as an excuse to bump up prices.
Research carried out by watchdog Consumer Focus shows that two-thirds of customers are unsure if products which claim to be environmentally friendly actually are, while 58 per cent believe that many firms pretend to be green so they can increase their prices.
In addition, just one-fifth have confidence that businesses are prevented by regulation from making false claims about how sustainable they are, which the group says could endanger the viability of the 'green pound' market.
Lucy Yates, sustainability expert at Consumer Focus, says: 'Even now, when money is tighter than ever, people still want to buy products that are better for the environment. But they are being bombarded with complex and conflicting claims and do not know who or what to believe.'
The research also shows that consumers are more trusting of claims backed by third-party accreditation organisations such as Fairtrade, while technical terms such as 'carbon offset' and 'carbon capture and storage' cause confusion.
Last week, the British Retail Consortium unveiled a new on-pack label which will tell consumers whether packaging can be recycled.
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