2. Project Supported by
Green Purchasing Network India2
Japan Fund for Global Environment
International Green Purchasing Network
3. The Project
Green Purchasing Network India3
Consumers, particularly those in Urban belts, reportedly
showing strong affinity for green products
Uncertainties related to green products
Challenges to promotion of green products
This study aims to understand challenges and explore
solutions for communication and promotion of green
products
4. Some Key Questions
Green Purchasing Network India4
What is greenness to an Indian consumer?
What criteria on greenness is the Indian consumer looking
for?
What are the barriers perceived by the consumers that deter
them from buying green?
Do Indian consumers trust various claims made by product
manufacturers? If yes, then up to what extent?
What are the problems faced by the industry in
communicating green products to Indian consumers?
5. Some Facts on Indian Consumer(ism)
Green Purchasing Network India5
Real household disposable income has more than doubled
since 1985
Middle class has emerged as the predominant consumer in
India
Twelfth-largest consumer market today to become the world's
fifth-largest consumer market by 2025*
Surveys suggest, Indian consumers, particularly the middle class
consumers, have become environmentally more conscious
*McKinsey Global Institute
6. Green Purchasing Network India6
India is the country with the highest Greendex
score since 2008
Indian consumers repairing broken items rather than
replacing them
choosing to buy things that are “used” rather than new
avoiding environmentally unfriendly products
choosing to buy environmentally friendly products
However
they are skeptical of green products
environmentally friendly products are not worth the extra cost
Regular quantitative measures of
consumer behavior and to promote
sustainable consumption
7. Green Purchasing Network India7
95% Indians want government to support more green
innovation and regulation
Lack of availability and inconsistent labelling as the major
barrier to buying green
Consumer perceptions of green
products and corporate brands
8. So Why Another Survey?
Green Purchasing Network India8
Large Sample Size
Multi-stakeholder approach
Bilateral Methodology
Designed specifically for Indian consumers
13. Overview
Green Purchasing Network India13
The survey targeted to know –
What an Indian consumer understands by ‘Greenness’ of a product?
What factors influence their buying decisions on green products? Do
Indian consumers trust various claims made by product manufacturers?
What are barriers perceived
by the consumers that deter
them from buying green?
14. Survey Size and its Characteristics
Mode of conduct: Online
(22%) and Offline (78%)
Green Purchasing Network India14
The sample had 55% Male and
39% Female respondents
At point of Purchase
15. Survey Size and its Characteristics
90% of respondents of both gender were young and belonged to
the age group between 21-60 years
Green Purchasing Network India15
16. Survey Size and its Characteristics
86% of male and 91% of female respondents were well educated
and belonged to group that had completed graduation at
minimum
Green Purchasing Network India16
17. Survey Size and its Characteristics
66% of male respondents and 55% of female respondents had
good buying capacity
Green Purchasing Network India17
18. Excellent Respondent Profile
Green Purchasing Network India18
Maximum of the Respondents were young, well-educated and
had buying capacity
Representative of Urban Middle class said to be the
predominant consumer in India!
19. Recognizing Green Products
Understanding was
limited to the terms
Biodegradable
Recycled
Organic
Non-toxic
• 90% of the respondents were aware of the term ‘green ‘ or
‘eco-friendly’ product
Green Purchasing Network India19
20. Recognizing Green Products
Terms ‘Recycled and Biodegradable’ were
most recognized amongst those consumers
who said they were aware about green
products
The terms ‘organic and Non-toxic’ were
most recognized amongst those consumers
who were not aware about green products
Term ‘Organic’ was more popular with the
age group 41 years and above and the term
‘Recycled’ with the younger consumer (15 to
40 years).
Green Purchasing Network India20
21. Recognizing on Green Products
Do Consumer understand the terms ‘biodegradable’ and
‘organic’?
Can they differentiate between the terms ‘recycled’ and
‘recyclable’?
Terms that are popularly used as
synonyms to ‘greenness’ gets
imprinted on the consumer and they
use these to relate it to the
products.
Green Purchasing Network India22
22. Does buying Green Products makes a
difference?
Green Purchasing Network India23
23. Cost of Green Products
Green Purchasing Network India24
24. Cost of Green Products
Cost of the green products partially influences the buying
decision but it certainly is not the guiding factor
Cost aspect is not guided by gender differences nor by
different income group
Green Purchasing Network India25
25. Barriers preventing Consumers from
buying Green products
Cost is actually not the prime
factor as compared to
‘Awareness’ and ‘Availability’
Green Purchasing Network India26
26. Other Factors influencing the buying
decision
Design does not matter to consumers
as compared to concern for
environment and health
Green Purchasing Network India27
27. Eco Labels
Green Purchasing Network India28
Ecolabels or certifications
on green products can
also influence the buying
decision
28. Take-aways - Consumer survey
Understanding of the terms used for
defining ‘greenness’ w.r.t. the product
type needs more awareness amongst
consumers
‘Cost’ and ‘design’ of the product is not
the guiding factor that impacts buying
decision for an Indian consumer
Ecolabels and Certifications can play a
big role in influencing buying decision
Green Purchasing Network India29
29. Results and Analysis:
Industry Stakeholder Survey
(Manufacturers, Retailers & Certifiers)
Green Purchasing Network India30
30. The Sample
Green Purchasing Network India31
14 Companies (Meetings and Telephonic Interviews)
Six retailers
Eight manufacturers
Covered the three categories of Organic Paper, Organic Textile
and Organic Food
Comprised of companies with both online and offline presence
All founded between the years 2000 and 2012
Certifiers
31. Overview
Green Purchasing Network India32
What challenges faced in communicating greenness to the
consumer?
What attracts a consumer to buy green?
What prevents a consumer from buying green?
Do consumers understand eco-labels and certifications?
Suggestions for increasing awareness and understanding of
green products
32. Communicating Green: What are the
challenges faced?
Green Purchasing Network India33
The top terms
used to
communicate
green are
‘Organic’ and
‘Biodegradable’
33. Communicating Green: What are the
challenges faced?
Green Purchasing Network India34
Indian society is not yet prepared for the concept of green
The buy-in / acceptance of a concept of a green product
requires change in mind set and behavior
34. Buying Green: What attracts a
consumer?
Green Purchasing Network India35
35. Buying Green: What prevents a
consumer?
Green Purchasing Network India36
Cost emerges as the main barrier!
37. Awareness on green products?
Green Purchasing Network India38
All respondents cited education, media, social media, word of
mouth and a health conscious generation as the cause
Yes
100%
No
0%
Do you see increasing awareness about green
products amongst consumers?
38. Certifiers: A third perspective
Green Purchasing Network India39
There is an increasing awareness amongst the urban
consumers regarding such certifications.
Younger generation who are educated and health conscious
are driving this increase.
There is a tendency among Indian consumers to believe the
claims however certification does not play a role in purchase
decision.
39. Certifiers: A third perspective
Green Purchasing Network India40
For eco-labels, the focus is mostly on foreign markets as these
countries have stricter laws for exporters.
Top barriers to Certification:
low awareness of environmental hazards
cost of certification
low demand for certified products in India.
41. Consumer V/s Industry Stakeholders
Cost
For Consumers the Cost is not the prime factor for buying
green products
where as
The Retailers and Manufacturers perception is that Cost is prime
factor
Green Purchasing Network India42
42. Consumer V/s Industry Stakeholders
Design:
For Consumers design of the product is not important
whereas
The Retailers think it is!
Green Purchasing Network India43
43. Consumer V/s Industry Stakeholders
Awareness:
Although there is an increased Awareness on green products,
yet the terms for defining ‘greenness’ is still not understood.
Retailers and manufacturers perceive that ‘organic’ and
‘biodegradable’ is what consumer understand as Green
whereas
an aware consumer considers “biodegradable’ and ‘recycled’
Green Purchasing Network India44
44. Recommendations
Need to increase awareness on the
‘Greenness’ terminologies
Acceptable terminologies
Communication and Media
Communicating the shades of Green
Absolute Green or Environmentally
preferable
Preventing Green Washing
Establishing Green claims code
Green Purchasing Network India45