Consumer Shopping Habits for Wellness and Environmentally ...
Consumer Shopping Habits for Wellness and Environmentally ...
Consumer Shopping Habits for Wellness and Environmentally ...
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We also examine toxicity concerns among six different product categories, to better underst<strong>and</strong><br />
consumer concerns about hazardous ingredients or materials. The toxicity of cleaning products is<br />
of most concern with about half of all consumers (49%). This is not surprising given our qualitative<br />
findings, which showed a notable interest in ―less chemical‖ cleaners extending across a very large<br />
swath of consumers <strong>and</strong> natural home cleaning as a strong (<strong>and</strong> early) H+W gateway.<br />
Figure 35 – Concerns about Hazardous Ingredients or Materials used in Product<br />
Cleaning products<br />
49%<br />
Toys<br />
15%<br />
Body care products<br />
13%<br />
Pet goods<br />
9%<br />
Sporting goods<br />
1%<br />
None of these<br />
13%<br />
Q23: “Which one of the following product categories are you MOST CONCERNED about the amount of hazardous ingredients or<br />
materials used?” | Base: Primary household shoppers (n=2176). Hobbies <strong>and</strong> crafts have less than 1% concerned level. | Source:<br />
GMDC 2009 Survey, Mar. 2009.<br />
Purchase Decision Criteria Evolve Away from Traditional Considerations of<br />
Price/Value <strong>and</strong> Convenience<br />
As consumers evolve away from the Periphery of the H+W World, purchase decision criteria<br />
increasingly move away from the traditional hallmarks of American consumerism, namely value (or<br />
price) <strong>and</strong> convenience, though, importantly those dimensions do maintain some salience at the<br />
Mid-level. As consumers move into <strong>and</strong> through the Mid-level, they become more concerned with<br />
quality distinctions (e.g. ―organic‖) in products, as in<strong>for</strong>med by increasing levels of knowledge <strong>and</strong> a<br />
thirst <strong>for</strong> new <strong>and</strong> interesting H+W-related experiences. At the Core, consumers structure purchases<br />
in H+W product categories in often absolute <strong>and</strong> even ideological terms, desiring a high level of<br />
product (<strong>and</strong> retailer) authenticity. In addition, in more developed areas of the Mid-level <strong>and</strong> in the<br />
Core, ideas of sustainability strongly in<strong>for</strong>m some purchases. These patterns essentially line up<br />
with the ―Dimensions of Consumption‖ outlined in Chapter 2.<br />
Price Sensitivity Varies by Category<br />
Pricing concerns typically vary among different product categories. <strong>Consumer</strong>s were asked to rank<br />
the top five product categories where pricing is of most concern. On the following chart, we note<br />
that laundry detergent is chosen by nearly half (46%) of all consumers. Among the 28 different<br />
product categories analyzed, laundry detergent is one of the more "big ticket" items among general<br />
household goods with some costing over $10, so consumers have more pricing concerns because of<br />
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