More importantly for marketers, 74% said they buy environmentally friendly products, 60% said they were willing to pay more for eco-friendly products and 55% said they make a “special effort” to patronize retailers with green reputations.
This sensitivity spread into the holiday season.
"When consumers had the opportunity, they purchased gifts to fit their social conscience," said John Rittenhouse of KPMG.
In addition to green concerns, 40% of the respondents said they checked the country of origin before buying a gift and, as a result, 31% of them decided against making a purchase.
In previous surveys—from 2003 to 2006—an average of 36% of shoppers reported spending more each year than the last. This year, however, with falling real estate values and other economic concerns on consumers’ minds, just 30% of respondents said they were going to spend more than the preceding holiday season on gifts.
Whatever they spend, consumers are spending an increasing percentage of what KPMG calls "wallet share" online.
