The Drum Awards for Marketing - Extended Deadline

-d -h -min -sec

Media 'influencing consumers' into buying ethical goods

Author

By The Drum Team, Editorial

September 14, 2011 | 2 min read

Powerful television documentaries are spurring the British public to buy 'socially conscious' goods such as fair-trade produce, organic food and environmentally-friendly products, according to new research.

Almost half (45 percent) of the 3000 Brits surveyed by marketing agency united said that watching a documentary or reading a media report about social issues would prompt them to buy ethical products and services.

A third (33 percent) said that getting pregnant or having children would make them buy such products, and 33 percent said they would do the same after having a serious illness or health scare.

The association of celebrities with socially conscious products does not seem to have much of an effect on the public's decision to buy ethically, according to the research, with only four percent saying they would buy such goods because of celebrity endorsement.

The survey also revealed that almost a third of those asked (29 percent) bought such products because they were the best value for money.

A fifth (18 percent) said that socially-focused goods offered the best quality available and just under half (48 percent) said they bought such goods purely because they believed in the cause.

Steven Dodds, planning partner at united, said: "The fact that media coverage is really getting through to people and that so many of us are buying these goods because of our strong beliefs is a really positive sign that we care about more than just price when we go shopping."

Trending

Industry insights

View all
Add your own content +