The French and Responsible Consumption

The Ethicity/Ademe 2011 study is, yet again, extremely full of enlightening information. This annual barometer “The French and Responsible Consumption” elaborated by the agency Ethicity (in collaboration with the Ademe) is a real landmark concerning the evolution of French consumers.

This year, the growth of environmental concerns seems to slow down compared to more economic considerations. In the last several years, the same studies highlighted a crisis of confidence from consumers towards companies’ and organisations’ messages and discourses. This year, the spectrum appears to be more individual.

One can notice a growing concern about personal and individualistic issues (health) more than about social and global issues (the planet Earth…).

These are some of the key figures extracted from the latest study: 71% of the French population consider that sustainable development is still a necessity. For 63% of them, health (personal, family, friends) is in their top three concerns. As a consequence, 36% consider that the selling promise that “these products are healthy and possess health benefits” is their first purchasing criterion, more important than environmental messages (for only 27% of respondents).

It is in this shifting context that the idea of “consuming differently” evolves: For 45% of the French consumers, “consuming responsibly” corresponds to “consuming differently” (an increase in 10% compared to 2010). 51% claim having focused on more “sustainable development” products this year (including 13% who declare consuming less). Global environmental considerations do not trigger as much concern for the French population as before. 49% of respondents are still very implicated compared to 55% in 2008.

Buying locally is a growing consumption model in favour of sustainable development, globally positively seen by the French respondents. 24% of respondents actually favour a regular consumption of locally produced products.