2Sustain

Last month, the Clorox Company launched both a new smartphone application and a mobile website that allow consumers to have immediate access to information about the ingredients in Clorox products marketed in the US and Canada.

The first consumer packaged goods company to launch a smartphone application for ingredient disclosure, Clorox is offering the app initially to iPhone users, enabling them to scan a product UPC code and be taken instantly to that product’s ingredient listing.

The free application can be found in the iPhone App Store by typing in “Clorox ingredients,” and the company says the Ingredients Inside app will be available for other mobile devices soon.

In addition to the app, a new mobile website, which is available for all mobile platforms, gives easier, on-the-go access to the company’s Ingredients Inside program by offering content and functionality optimized for mobile device use.

Clearly, Clorox is responding to two emerging consumer trends: (more…)

The green consumer product market continues to evolve.

Today, store shelves are stocked with more eco-friendly products than ever before, and there’s increasing competition for marketshare. Plus, manufacturers are responding to a growing sophistication among consumers who want accurate brand information presented in a way that’s easy to understand.

But even so, recent survey results from Grail Research indicate that the recession has had a significant impact on consumer behavior in this market. For example, the new study shows that:

• Since 2009, the “dark green” consumer segment has grown slightly, but the total number of green consumers has declined.
• Four in ten (43 percent) of “light green” consumers reduced their use of green products or switched to conventional ones.
• The percentage of “non-green” consumers increased from 15 percent to 22 percent.
• Both green and non-green consumers alike cited price as the number one deterrent preventing them from buying green.
• While certifications matter, most US consumers are confused about how to interpret green credentials, and most don’t actively look for green information about the products they’re buying. Only 11 percent said they seek information about green products and practices on a regular basis.

Interestingly, Grail Research also found that companies are often perceived by consumers as green, even if they do not exclusively manufacture green products. For instance, here’s the 2011 list of the five companies that are top of mind for consumers when they think of a green company: (more…)

The EPA estimates that Americans generate almost 2.5 million tons of used electronics each year. But, are we throwing away equipment that’s in perfect working order?

New research from the UK suggests that in many cases, we are.

A recent study conducted by the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) revealed that nearly one-quarter of the electrical and electronic equipment routinely thrown away by consumers could be reused. What’s more, the researchers found that there is the potential to generate significant resale value from the repair, refurbishment and open market resale of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).

WRAP estimates that each year consumers in the UK take 348,000 tonnes of WEEE to recycling sites, while another 149,000 tonnes gather in bulky waste collections. WRAP’s research found that: (more…)

Earlier this month, I wrote about recent research from Nielsen which showed that today’s consumers are more concerned about environmental issues such as pollution, water shortages, packaging waste and the use of pesticides than they are about climate change.

Now, a new report adds even more perspective, concluding that Americans now place a higher value on their own financial stability than on environmental responsibility.

For example, the 2011 Green Gauge US Report from GfK Roper Consulting found that: (more…)

Today’s consumers are more concerned about environmental issues such as pollution, water shortages, packaging waste and the use of pesticides than they are about climate change, according to Nielsen’s 2011 Global Online Environment & Sustainability Survey.

The latest findings, compiled from a poll of more than 25,000 Internet respondents in 51 countries showed that: (more…)