Corporate and government efforts to inform consumers on climate change are falling on deaf ears, with barely one in ten people believing what they say on the issue, according to research out this month.
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Findings to be published on 22 June in the report What Assures Consumers on Climate Change?, a joint international study by AccountAbility and Consumers International, shows that three quarters of US/UK consumers still feel unable to act on climate change.
This is due to a lack of understanding about what individuals can do (29.8%), concerns over the financial cost of acting (39.7%), a perceived lack of availability of green goods (25.5%), and a mistrust of corporate claims about energy efficient products and services (25%).
The study concludes that, if the potential for positive consumer action is to be unlocked, consumers have to believe the information they are told.
“This means an intelligent mix of actions is required, with business and government working together with civil society organisations,” the report says. It called for a series of immediate actions that should include: pricing alternative products in a fair and affordable manner; product labels and indicators about climate change that are clear, comprehensive and independently verified and removing unhelpful choices from the shelves in the first place.
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By GlobalDataRichard Lloyd, Consumers International director general, said: “After government and industry, consumers are the third front in the fight against climate change. But to have any chance of making a difference, they must be fully supported by corporations and politicians. This means clear guidance on what the public can do, the removal of the most environmentally damaging products, and third party verification of corporate claims on global warming. Only then will consumers be able to turn their climate concerns into effective purchasing choices”.
Philip Monaghan, a director at AccountAbility said: “What consumers are crying out for is leadership. More serious policy action and less photo shoots with Leonardo DiCaprio is key to building consumer trust and action. For the majority of consumers to make impactful positive choices, we need others to quickly follow the lead of the Gores and Milibands, or Timberlands and Marks & Spencers of this world.”
