North Americans are increasingly tuned into the sustainability benefits of biobased household products, according to a survey.
Four in ten Americans and about a third of Canadians have heard of the term "biobased" to describe plant-based/ non-petroleum-based products or ingredients used in cleaning and personal care products, clothing, and fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel.
And about eight in ten people in both countries say they would definitely or likely purchase biobased household products instead of non-biobased products, if comparable on cost and effectiveness.
The survey, conducted for biochemical company Genencor, found that most people readily accept that biobased products offer sustainability benefits. Over two-thirds of Americans and Canadians said biobased ethanol for vehicles, plant-based laundry and dish detergents, and clothing are definitely or likely green.
"The findings indicate that consumers are prepared to actively choose biobased products, especially those who are familiar with green products and are generally confident about their environmental claims," said Tjerk de Ruiter, CEO of Genencor, a biotechnology company that makes enzymes used to create biobased products.
Today, there are thousands of consumer products made with bio-ingredients. In fact, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that there are 20,000 biobased products currently being manufactured in North America. As part of a new program launched in March, the USDA already has certified dozens of consumer products with its "BioPreferred" label, which designates a product is made with a high percentage of agricultural ingredients.
Beyond the biobased product findings, the Genencor Household Sustainability Index also provides a snapshot of recent consumer purchases and attitudes on products perceived to be green.
Overall, nearly 71% of Canadians and 53% of Americans purchased a "green" household product in the last 2 months in categories such as: cleaning supplies, personal care, detergents and soaps, recycled paper and energy efficient light bulbs.
The survey also found that U.S. women are twice as likely as men to purchase green cleaning products, while men are twice as likely as women to purchase energy efficiency bulbs.
However, while 75% of people in the U.S. and Canada consider themselves familiar with household green products (those considered better for the environment than comparable products), a third are not confident that these products are really better for the environment than other products.
Confidence in green products increases somewhat with level of familiarity. In the U.S., people who are very familiar with green products are almost twice as likely to say they are very confident that such products are better for the environment (22% versus 12%). This relationship is not as strong in Canada.
Respondents also ranked which environmental characteristics they believe definitely make a product green. In descending order, they are: made from renewable materials; uses less energy to produce; contains little or no harmful materials; requires less energy when product is used; uses less water to produce; uses less water when product is used.
For additional information on the survey, visit the link below.
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