Consumers place price as the top factor influencing their purchases but are increasingly prepared to consider a brand’s record on carbon reduction. It’s not exactly surprising that people but price first, but that fact people are interested in the environment is encouraging.

A survey by the Carbon Trust of more than 1,000 consumers found that almost two-thirds (63%) were more likely to buy a product if they knew action was being taken to reduce its carbon footprint. Furthermore, some 58% of consumers said they valued companies that were taking action on carbon reduction but only 12% think they are doing enough to cut carbon emissions and tackle climate change.

‘Environmental concerns’ were highlighted as being more influential than ethical and the country of origin issues when it came to buying electronic goods and cars, but not for clothing and shoes and food and drink.

At present few big brands carry the Carbon Trust’s Carbon Footprint Reduction labels on their packaging and marketing material. PepsiCo, through its Tropicana, Walkers and Quakers brands, and Tesco are two of the first to have displayed the Carbon Reduction Label since its launch in 2007. But this week Tate & Lyle announced it intends to carry the logo on pack to inform consumers that the carbon footprint of its cane sugar is 380g per 1 kg bag.

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