Indian, Chinese consumers among most environmentally conscious : MPG

Brand Sustainable Futures tracks and compares how a company's sustainable initiatives resonate with consumers and their contribution to brand equity. The research runs across 30,000 consumers in nine countries, including Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Mexico, Spain, the UK and US. The projects looks at 150 brands across 10 industries. 

Main findings this year are:

• Only one third of brands are considered meaningful by consumers
• The more sustainable a brand is perceived, the more meaningful it becomes to consumers
• Indian and Chinese consumers are among the most concerned about sustainability ahead of their European counterparts
• A lack of information about a company's credentials is the biggest barrier in rewarding responsible companies in India and China

In India and China, environmental pollution remains a key concern for consumers, with 49 per cent in China and 57 per cent in India indicating they are very concerned. This compares to 35 per cent of global respondents. 

20 per cent of Indians indicated they always consider the environmental or social aspects when making purchasing decisions, compared to 15 per cent in China.

Barriers for buying responsibly in China and India include a lack of information and limited availability of such products. Information is key as 62 per cent of Chinese consumers would choose responsible products or services if they were available.

In China, active followers of sustainable issues or 'devotees' have risen 11 per cent since 2009. In addition, one-fifth of consumers in the mainland indicated they are engaged and critical of corporate motives, up 10 per cent from last year. In India 'devotees' make up the largest proportion of consumers at 29 per cent.

In both India and China, local brands are seen as more socially and environmentally responsible than international brands.

In China, household appliance brand Haier, followed by IBM and Lenovo, is the most frequent top of mind mention of a socially and environmentally responsible company. In India, it is Tata, Reliance, ITC and Nokia.