-
Update of Defra’s Green Claims Guidance Research Conducted
2009-10
-
To gain a better understanding of:
– Type and range of claims on market (across sectors)
– Industry perception of green claims and guidance
–Consumer response to green claims
Overarching Research Aims
-
Analysis of Green Claims in the UK, 2006 - 2009
Green Light for Green Claims?
-
Methodology
• Source – Search of Xtreme database with 40+ ‘green’ search
terms, providing a total of 4,083 ads over Jan 2006 – March
2009 (from a total of 598,134 adverts held by Xtreme)
• Main caveat: a green claim is only classified as such if
the
green information forms the main or a key part of the ad’s
message. Supplementary green information (e.g. footnotes or
a smaller element of the ad) is unlikely to have been
captured.
-
Number of green ads (per quarter)
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
20
06
Q1
20
06
Q2
20
06
Q3
20
06
Q4
20
07
Q1
20
07
Q2
20
07
Q3
20
07
Q4
20
08
Q1
20
08
Q2
20
08
Q3
20
08
Q4
20
09
Q1
-
Share of Green Ads - % of all ads
0.0%
0.2%
0.4%
0.6%
0.8%
1.0%
1.2% 2
00
6Q
1
20
06
Q2
20
06
Q3
20
06
Q4
20
07
Q1
20
07
Q2
20
07
Q3
20
07
Q4
20
08
Q1
20
08
Q2
20
08
Q3
20
08
Q4
20
09
Q1
-
Share of Green ads – against all ads
2006Q1
2006Q2
2006Q3
2006Q4
2007Q1
2007Q2
2007Q3
2007Q4
2008Q1
2008Q2
2008Q3
2008Q4
2009Q1
Green ads 132 180 213 279 365 485 451 390 453 403 250 247
231
Total ads 39951 41420 43964 51950 47691 44711 39558 56712 41854
38206 54409 60495 37213
0
10000
20000
30000
40000
50000
60000
Nu
mb
er
of
ads
regi
ste
red
-
Locations of Green Ads
Press 68%
Television 15%
Internet 8%
Radio 4%
Outdoor 4%
Cinema 1%
-
Locations of Green Ads 2
Broadsheet 38%
Magazine 26%
Trade publication 13%
Tabloid 10%
Local paper 10%
Freesheet 3%
-
Green Ads by Sector – in detail
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
Co
nsu
mer
uti
litie
s
Pu
blic
info
rmat
ion
Car
/veh
icle
Ban
kin
g/f
inan
cial
ser
vice
s
Ener
gy -
co
rpo
rate
Foo
d a
nd
dri
nk
Loca
l go
vern
men
t
Ho
me/
bu
sin
ess …
Sup
erm
arke
t
New
s /
med
ia
Det
erge
nts
/ho
use
ho
ld …
Car
dea
lers
hip
Ele
ctri
cal g
oo
ds
Pri
nti
ng
and
sta
tio
nar
y
Car
ser
vice
s/ac
cess
ori
es
Co
mp
ute
r/so
ftw
are/
har
d…
Trav
el/t
ran
spo
rt
NG
O g
ree
n
Bea
uty
Larg
esca
le …
NG
O o
ther
Bu
sin
ess …
Air
craf
t/ai
rtra
vel
Ret
aile
rs M
isc
Clo
thin
g/a
cces
sori
es
Bab
y p
rod
uct
s
Re
cycl
ing
/was
te …
Alc
oh
ol
Co
nsu
me
r …
On
line
reta
iler/
bu
sin
ess
Min
eral
…
Ph
arm
aceu
tica
ls/h
ealt
h
Co
mm
un
icat
ion
s
Toile
t p
aper
Ch
em
ical
ind
ust
ry
Gar
den
ing
Pet
pro
du
cts
Rea
l est
ate/
pro
per
ty
Polit
ical
-
Green Ads by Sector – meta sectors
Public information 21%
Energy 20%
Automobile 15%
Food/consumables 10%
Retail/service 9%
Home - general 7%
Infrastructure 6%
Pharmaceutical/ chemical
5%
Business 4%
Travel 3%
-
Green Ads by Brand – top 20
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
Bri
tish
Gas
BP
Bri
tish
Pe
tro
leu
m
Car
bo
n T
rust
Tran
spo
rt fo
r Lo
nd
on
Rec
ycle
No
w
Ener
gy S
avin
g Tr
ust
Lexu
s
Co
-op
erat
ive
Shel
l
E.O
N
Toyo
ta
Np
ow
er
Ari
el
Cu
rrys
Sco
ttis
h P
ow
er
EDF
Ener
gy
Sain
sbu
ry's
HSB
C
Jup
iter
Sco
ttis
h G
as
Nu
mb
er
of
Ad
s
-
Purpose of ad
-
Purpose of ad by meta sector
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Banking/financial services
Car/vehicle Consumer utilities Energy - corporate Public
information
Pe
rce
nta
ge o
f ad
vert
s fr
om
se
cto
r
Sector
Public info
Product/service
Policy info
CSR
-
Green ads by Concept Conveyed
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700 G
ree
n
Rec
yclin
g
Fin
anci
al …
Ener
gy …
Car
bo
n
Eco
/En
viro
nm
…
Ener
gy
Pla
net
Ear
th
Org
anic
Ren
ewab
le …
Emis
sio
ns
- …
Clim
ate
chan
ge
Futu
re
Cle
an
Eth
ical
/Ch
arit
a…
Nat
ure
Hyb
rid
…
Wild
life/
Co
nse
…
Sust
ain
able
Bio
fuel
Wat
er
Co
rpo
rate
…
Foss
ilfu
el
Hea
lth
Loca
l
Free
-ran
ge
Nu
clea
r
-
Concepts broken down further - carbon
-
Concepts vary by sector – e.g. auto vs…
0.0%
2.0%
4.0%
6.0%
8.0%
10.0%
12.0%
14.0%
16.0%
18.0%P
ercen
tage o
f C
ar/V
eh
icle
adverts in
vokin
g c
on
cept
-
…electrical & electronics
-
Where are we now: Industry?
• Current claims represent "toe in the water”
• Wide range of practices used for developing and managing
claims
• Widespread concern about green marketing being devalued
• Confusion around green claims is a barrier
• Trend towards more strategic claims
-
Links to consultation:
Consultation:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/green-claims/index.htm
Contact
[email protected]
http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/green-claims/index.htmhttp://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/green-claims/index.htmhttp://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/green-claims/index.htmhttp://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/green-claims/index.htmmailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]
