Indians ready to pay more for environment friendly goods
Published 15 Dec 2008

NEW DELHI: Indians don’t mind paying more for environment friendly goods, compared to the Chinese or the Japanese, even though they are not unduly worried that the environment is in a crisis.

Thus, 88 per cent of Indian consumers are prepared to pay more for goods that are environment friendly against 82 per cent in China and 68 per cent in Japan, according to a study of consumers in India, China and Japan.

Findings are part of a 10-market global study by international communication firm Edelman.

Unlike their peers in other countries, respondents in India believe there is too much fuss about the environment (79 per cent) and they do not believe the world is experiencing global warming (56 per cent). Still, 92 per cent feel it is their duty to contribute to a better society and environment.

The study sought to understand consumer attitudes and preferences on the emerging issue of social purpose. Its findings show that despite the economic downturn, a strong majority think it is important to purchase products and brands they perceive to be socially responsible India (90 per cent), China (90 per cent) and Japan (64 per cent).

“What we find particularly interesting in this study is that economic concerns are taking a distant place behind consumers’ demands that quality brands be produced by socially conscious companies,” says Alan VanderMolen, Edelman’s Asia-Pacific President.

“The current economic crisis has made little or no difference to the financial or voluntary support given to good causes by Indians. We found that 23 per cent of Indian respondents have actually paid more for a brand because it supports a good cause.

About Edelman’s Good Purpose Consumer Study

StrategyOne conducted 6,048 interviews in 10 countries between August and October 2008. The study was an online survey of consumers, nationally representative of each of the country populations. For India and China survey was conducted as face to face and CATI respectively. Sample sizes per country are: US = 1006, China = 1000, UK = 522, Germany = 506, Brazil =500, Italy = 500, Japan = 502, India = 503, Canada = 502. France=507. The margin of error is +/- 5% for the Chinese, Indian and Japanese samples.

Read full Edelman press release here