"This is the first round of Green Brands research we've conducted in China, and we have found the results fascinating," said Annie Longsworth, Cohn & Wolfe's Global Sustainability Practice Leader. "The results indicate that Chinese consumers are highly conscious of the state of the environment and are eager to play an active role in affecting not only their own behaviors, but also those of Chinese regulators and businesses."
Chinese consumers say that their environmental concerns influence their purchasing intent: 69 percent expect to spend more money on green products in the coming year. This contrasts markedly with the US, where only 38 percent of consumers expect to increase their spending on green products in 2009, and the UK where just 33 percent will spend more.
Aligned with the finding that spending increases on environmentally-friendly products as they get closer to your body, Chinese consumers plan to spend more on cleaning supplies and white goods, as well as cosmetics and body care.
The way that Chinese consumers think about environmentalism seems tied to broader concerns about corporations, rather than specific practices such as recycling or using renewable energy sources.
"Chinese consumers want to do business with green companies," said Tatt Chen, Vice President of Asia-Pacific for Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates. "In general, the more green a company is perceived to be, the more they think it is honest and trustworthy, innovative, has high quality products and services, and provides safe working conditions. Chinese consumers don't expect companies to fix all the environmental problems, but they do want to hear how companies are being good green citizens."
Chinese consumers consider Technology, Electronics and Financial Services to be "greenest" industries, while Grocery and Energy are at the bottom of the list.
When asked what it means to be a "green brand," Chinese consumers prioritize trustworthiness, being environmentally conscious and working to cut pollution and waste as the three top indicators. In order to gauge which brands are communicating their green initiatives or values most effectively, the survey asked participants to rank the greenest brands.
1. Haier
2. Baidu
3. Lenovo
4. CMB Bank
5. Microsoft
6. Apple
7. Google
8. NOKIA
9. Sina
10. Souhu
"When you compare the results from this survey to those we've done in the US and the UK, it's remarkable how aligned consumers are on a global level," said Russ Meyer, Chief Strategy Officer for Landor Associates. "This provides great direction to companies planning to develop global sustainability solutions that help both their business and the environment."
