Hongkongers willing if not quite ready to embrace sustainable consumption
75 per cent say they are prepared to pay more for environmentally friendly goods, survey finds, but old habits die hard
Seventy-five per cent of Hongkongers say they are prepared to pay more for sustainable products that are good for the environment, a survey shows.
But they are far less willing to do so if it causes them inconvenience or upsets their daily habits.
The survey, by Hong Kong’s Consumer Council, aimed at testing people’s knowledge and priorities on sustainable consumption – purchasing behaviour that minimises the use of natural resources and toxic materials as well as emissions of waste and pollutants over the life cycle of the service or products.
It found a huge gap between people’s awareness of the importance of sustainable consumption and their actual purchasing behaviour. The 1,000 respondents scored 48 out of 100 in the “readiness” category, 74 on “awareness” and 69 for “behaviour”.
The survey result indicated there are ample opportunities for businesses to develop sustainable products
Among the 75 per cent prepared to pay more for sustainable goods, 77 per cent were willing to spend 5 per cent extra, with 23 per cent willing to pay a 20 to 50 per cent premium.
Despite growing awareness, only half said they regularly bought sustainable products, and 25 per cent said they would not pay a premium for environmentally friendly products.