Green Shopping: How Labels Affect Consumers

According to a study by the Natural marketing Institute, not all green labeling has the same affect on consumers. It’s something to consider if you’re advertising your product as “green.”

The study looked at four major green labels commonly found on products – Energy Star, Recycled, USDA Certified Organic, and Fair Trade Certified. You can see the full report at Marketing Green. Here’s the basis of it, though:

• 66% of people are more likely to purchase a product with an Energy Star logo
• 54% of people are more likely to purchase a product with a Recycled logo
• 29% of people are more likely to purchase a product with a USDA Certified Organic logo
• 15 % of people are more likely to purchase a product with a Fair Trade Certified logo

My hope is that the economy will begin to recover a bit, and that the job market will strengthen, giving people more money to make responsible green choices in the first place.