A recent consumer survey carried out by Nielsen shows that almost half (46%) of their respondents (28,000 respondents in 56 countries) are willing to pay extra for products and services from companies that have implemented socially responsible programmes.
A recent consumer survey carried out by Nielsen shows that almost half (46%) of their respondents (28,000 respondents in 56 countries) are willing to pay extra for products and services from companies that have implemented socially responsible programmes.
A large proportion (63%) of these respondents who are socially conscious are under the age of 40, consult social media when making purchase decisions and are most concerned about environmental, educational and hunger causes.
Somewhat surprisingly though, consumers who showed the greatest social conscience reside in regions of the world that would be classified as emerging. The highest percentage of these consumers are in Asia Pacific (55%), the Middle East and Africa (53%) and Latin America (49%), whereas the lowest penetration rates for socially conscious consumers are in North America (35%) and Europe (32%).
According to Nic Covey, vice president of Nielsen Cares, corporate social responsibility resonates with a specific group of consumers. Among 18 causes reviewed, Nielsen found that socially-conscious respondents prioritise environmental sustainability (66%), improvements to science, technology, engineering and math education (56%) and the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger (53%).
Socially conscious consumers trust recommendations from people they know (95%) and look for opinions and information posted by other consumers online (76%). Socially conscious consumers are more likely than other survey respondents to use social media to help make purchasing decisions (59% vs. 46% of all respondents).
Peter Duggan, Strategic Information Services, Bord Bia-Irish Food Board
Source: Bord Bia – Consumers React Positively to Socially Conscious Companies
