April 7, 2008 - Jones Lang LaSalle has today announced the results of its first ‘Shopper Environmental Sentiment survey’ which shows that shoppers take a keen interest in green issues through their shopping habits but are not willing to pay extra to become ‘sustainable’.
The survey of 1,579 participants across 34 Jones Lang LaSalle-managed shopping malls said that only 3% always buy green products and 66% said that they sometimes purchase them while over half said they are very or somewhat likely to purchase environmentally friendly/green products as gifts. Only 6% said they always use ‘reusable’ shopping bags; a third said they sometimes use them. The figure increased significantly to 58% when respondents were asked if they would use the bags if they were free. Cost was also a draw for respondents to participate in a light bulb exchange; 65% would participate if the initiative was free.
“This is the most comprehensive survey that we have conducted with our customers views on the ‘green’ issue. It is interesting to see how seriously customers take sustainable living,” said Greg Maloney, President and CEO of Jones Lang LaSalle Retail. “There is a lot that retailers and mall managers can learn from this information and it certainly highlights the publics’ interest in doing their bit for the environment.”
Other results of the survey conducted in January found that a quarter of respondents said sustainability is so important to them that they would choose to shop in a ‘sustainable’ shopping center. Around 40% said that they were willing to do what it takes to protect and improve the environment, and more than half always recycle at home. Almost two thirds of respondents were interested in learning more about simple ways to save energy.
“From what we can see there is a definite environmental awareness and consciousness among shoppers but they are not willing to pay any extra in order to change their habits, said Carol Sullivan, Vice President of Marketing, Jones Lang LaSalle. “They are however adapting their lives where possible and seem receptive to new green initiatives.”
Last year, Jones Lang LaSalle joined with Alexander Babbage, a leading provider of market intelligence, and Mallfinder Network, a website design and service provider company, to develop a proprietary online database of consumer shopping trends based on research from its Nationwide Shopper Panel. Consisting of more than 5,000 shoppers from around the country, the panel serves as a resource for retailers and related companies to gauge consumer trends, needs and consumption quickly and efficiently. ‘The Shopper Environmental Sentiment’ survey is the first green survey that Jones Lang LaSalle has conducted with its Nationwide Shopper Panel.
The Green Survey Demographic profile:
Respondents from the National Shopper Panel environmental attitude survey were 87% female and were on average, 42.3 years old. They had an average household income of $83,203; 69% were married and 15% were single. The majority of respondents were white/Caucasian, with 6% black/African American, 6% Hispanic/Latino and 6% Asia. The majority, (44%) were college graduates and 12% post graduates.
Jones Lang LaSalle and Sustainability
Jones Lang LaSalle is the leading global provider of sustainable corporate real estate services. Through facility management, construction management, tenant representation and strategic consulting, the firm helps major corporations identify and implement sustainable strategies that align with corporate objectives. In 2007, the firm helped companies reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 133,000 metric tons, electrical usage by 210,000 kilowatt-hours, and energy costs by $38 million. Jones Lang LaSalle earned the 2007 Energy Star Partner of the Year award from the EPA and the 2007 Chairman’s Award from the Alliance to Save Energy. The firm’s internal sustainability initiative, ACT: A Cleaner Tomorrow, emphasizes energy and water usage reduction, solid waste reduction and increased use of recycling in its 60 offices worldwide.