EcoPulse survey:Majority of US consumers stop buying products from polluting company

U.S. consumers may not agree on what (or who) is causing global warming, but nearly three-quarters say they would stop buying products from a known corporate polluter, according to a new Eco Pulse survey.When consumers were asked what they would do if a company had received a government fine for failing emissions standards or for polluting a nearby river, 44% said they would likely stop buying products from that company - and 28% said they would not only stop buying but also encourage their friends to do the same. Just 28% said they would likely keep buying that company's products anyway.

"How much these stats play out in reality has a great deal to do with the level of negative media coverage associated with a corporate environmental slip-up," says Suzanne Shelton of the Shelton Group, which conducts the annual Eco Pulse survey. "Nonetheless, companies should take note that - given today's public standards - they stand to risk a great deal with their customer base if they encounter an environmental performance crisis."

Climate change proved a polarizing issue among consumers, with 57% of survey respondents agreeing that global warming is a made-made phenomenon and 43% either disagreeing or saying they weren't sure.

The survey also exposed a divide among consumers in terms of what they think makes a company green. When asked to identify the standard by which they judge a company to be green, 69% chose "a company that uses renewable energy, has zero waste in their manufacturing process and produces green products," while 52% said any company that recycles can be considered green.

In addition, just because a company makes a green product doesn't mean it will be perceived as green if its manufacturing plants are not. Only 4% of respondents chose as green "a company that has manufacturing plants contaminated with chemical waste, but manufactures wind turbines to produce green power."

Link Eco pulse