Use of green services on the rise

CHICAGO — Consumers are just as interested in utilizing green services as they are in purchasing green products, according to new Mintel research.

About 44% of consumers surveyed said they considered the "greenness" of their grocery store and agreed that the environmental impact of the business factored into their purchasing decision. What's more, 40% of consumers would prefer to purchase green products from a company that has a clear set of standards for the exact meaning of green, while 29% of those surveyed believed the government should mandate that companies adhere to a rigorous set of green standards.

Mintel also noted that the peaked consumer interest has prompted an increase in the availability of green products, with 54% of consumers reporting that more green products were available at their favorite stores, compared with last year.

"The rapid increase in consumer interest was likely facilitated by increased availability of greener alternatives in many service industries and increased marketing of green practices by service providers," said Fiona O'Donnell, senior analyst at Mintel. "Less than half of consumers say they don't know how to verify a company's claim that [it's] green, and that number has declined compared with 2008. Improved transparency by companies about their environmental behavior has been effective in helping consumers understand and feel more confident about green claims."