Public wary of businesses' GHG claims

UK consumers want businesses to commit to cutting greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions, but few trust claims of energy efficiency, according to surveys carried out for the Carbon Trust and the CBI.

Only 7% of those surveyed for the Carbon Trust said they believed organisations’ plans and actions to reduce their environmental impact, while figures from the CBI found that just 16% thought manufacturers’ claims about the efficiency of products were truthful.

Both surveys confirm the public’s interest in companies taking an active role in tackling climate change, with 90% of respondents to the Carbon Trust poll saying they want companies to commit to cutting their GHG emissions by the 3% needed each year to meet the UK’s 2050 targets.

However, the majority were cynical about organisations’ publicised commitment to combating climate change, with two-thirds doubting firms are actually cutting GHG emissions and more than half believing businesses only complete one-off improvements for publicity purposes.

Harry Morrison, general manager of the Carbon Trust Standard, said: “Consumers really want businesses to take action, but they are potentially mistrustful of unsubstantiated claims as to the green credentials of businesses and products.”

The majority of those polled (60%) want to see third-party evidence from a “respected climate-change body” before they will believe companies’ claims.

“The key to engaging consumers is a combination of a credible third-party certification process with consumer-friendly communications,” said Morrison.

CBI director-general John Cridland agrees, warning that consumers are key to the transition to a low-carbon economy but they were often “baffled” by low-carbon products making different green claims.

He said: “Businesses need to provide clear, consistent labelling that becomes a trusted universal standard. The success of A–G labelling for white goods such as fridges and washing machines shows that this kind of approach works.

“It is only when we get significant public buy-in of low-carbon goods that we will make real progress towards our carbon-reduction targets. Unless we can get the public truly on board, then all the investment in new technology and all our low-carbon innovation will be for nothing.”

The survey results came as the European Commission called for companies to participate in piloting its new method of measuring organisational and product environmental footprints.

Businesses have until 13 May to apply to participate in the scheme, which covers the collection of data and the assessment of environmental impacts.