Most Americans Say They’re Willing to Pay More For Environmentally Friendly Products

June 13, 2019

The majority (54%) of US adult shoppers agree (43%) or strongly agree (11%) that they are willing to pay more for environmentally friendly products. This apparent willingness to pay a premium for “green” products has increased considerably since the beginning of the decade, per a new issue [download page] of The Checkout by The Integer Group.

In 2011, only one-third (34%) of shoppers were willing to pay more for green products, with a plurality of shoppers (43%) instead indicating that they were on the fence as to whether they were willing to part with more of their cash for environmentally friendly products. Perhaps not coincidentally, 2011 was the same year that Gallup found that Americans’ concern about environmental issues saw a decline.

However, there now appears to be a greater emphasis on corporate responsibility, with consumers acting as advocates for companies that are both purpose-driven and show a commitment to society and the environment. This recent survey found that shoppers are more willing now to purchase from brands that support environmental initiatives such as climate change, clean water and wildlife preservation. Additionally, US consumers appear more willing than they were in 2011 to recycle or reuse items they would have typically thrown away, as well as to purchase all-natural or organic products.

The green product respondents purchased most recently was most likely to be either perishable grocery items or cleaning items (each cited by 29% share of respondents). Roughly one-quarter (24%) pointed to household paper products as their most recent environmentally conscious purchase. When respondents were asked why they purchased their latest such product, half (51%) said that they were conscious about the environment while, surprisingly, one-third (33%) said it was to save money.

Other research has found that being an environmentally conscious shopper includes not only the actual product but also the packaging.  A recently conducted survey from PwC found more consumers around the globe are now avoiding plastic, as well as purchasing products with either environmentally friendly packaging or less packaging altogether.

To read more, download the issue here.

About the Data: Findings are compiled from surveys of 1,204 US adults in March 2011 and 1,205 US adults in April 2019.

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