Warc, 7 August 2013
NEW YORK: The proportion of consumers willing to pay more
for goods and services from companies engaged in corporate social
responsibility has increased to 50% globally, according to new research.
The study from market researchers Nielsen also found that
43% of global respondents have actually spent more on products and services
from companies that have implemented programmes to give back to society.
That represents just 7% fewer than those expressing
willingness to do so and comes amidst signs of a rising trend of goodwill
towards socially responsible brands.
The Nielsen Global Survey on Corporate Social Responsibility
was conducted between February and March 2013 and surveyed more than 29,000
online consumers in 58 countries.
It found that willingness to pay more from socially
responsible firms rose 5 points since 2011 and increased in 74% of the
countries polled.
Increases were measured across both sexes and all age groups
with respondents aged 30 and under emerging as the most likely to spend more.
The rate among consumers aged 40-44 also increased to 50% from 38% in 2011.
Nic Covey, vice president of corporate social responsibility
at Nielsen, said the rapid change in sentiment among middle-aged consumers
provided opportunities for brands, which meant they could now confidently focus
their purpose-messaging on younger and older consumers alike.
Marked regional differences also emerged. Three-quarters of
consumers in India and over two-thirds in Thailand and the Philippines said
they would pay more, but only 36% of respondents in Europe said they would do
so.
Some markets – again, largely in Europe – also recorded a
mismatch between those indicating a willingness to spend more and those who
actually do so. For example, 50% of Slovaks said they would be willing to pay
more, but only 22% actually do.
Likewise, similar disparities were recorded in Hong Kong,
Peru and Bulgaria, leading Nic Covey to suggest these markets could be
"uniquely ripe for cause-marketing programmes".
He said: "Today, the question is not whether consumers
care about social impact, but which ones, how much and how to appeal to them.
The answer isn't necessarily a traditional cause-marketing campaign."
Data sourced from Nielsen; additional content by Warc staff
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