Sustainability is not just something New Zealanders care about at a policy level, it also is increasingly influencing their purchasing decisions, according to a recently released report.
About 68 per cent of New Zealanders surveyed care about the sustainability of a large retail brand when making a purchase, the In Good Company report showed.
Sixty-four per cent of New Zealand consumers said they cared the most about the sustainability of brands when purchasing from supermarket retailers, and almost half, 49 per cent, admitted their purchase decisions are influenced by how sustainable a brand/product is when purchasing from a supermarket retailer.
In Good Company’s research, which looked into how Kiwis assess the sustainability of brands across eight industries, also showed about 71 per cent of New Zealanders surveyed said they are more likely to do active research to assess the sustainability of a large retailer before purchasing anything.
More than 2000 New Zealanders took part in the study, commissioned by the Sustainable Business Council, Porter Novelli and Perceptive, which looked at eight industry sectors: large retailers, electricity, automobile, broadband and mobile, fashion/apparel, financial institutions, fuel and automobile and supermarkets.
“What’s interesting about these findings is that sustainability is not just something New Zealanders care about, it’s also increasingly impacting their purchase decisions,” said Oliver Allen, Perceptive general manager.
“Choosing a brand that operates in a sustainable manner falls just behind quality and price but ranks higher than customer service and recommendations from friends and family,” Allen said.
“This is something which brands should be taking note of across the board.”
With sustainability a concern for 87 per cent of New Zealanders, and 18 per cent of those surveyed unable to identify a leader in the area, Abbie Reynolds, executive director of Sustainable Business Council, said this is the time for businesses to step up and meet the challenge.
“New Zealand businesses are increasingly embedding sustainability into their strategies and business practice, however, many businesses are reluctant to talk about what they’re actually doing,” Reynolds said.
“In many cases, it’s a matter of ‘green hush’, rather than greenwash,” she said. “This research shows there is an important opportunity for business in New Zealand to show leadership.”
James Walker, executive director for Sustainability at Porter Novelli, said brands need to be more honest and transparent and show the steps being undertaken toward sustainability because, he said, “if customers don’t know what businesses are doing to become more sustainable, how can they choose them for it?”
