Consumers and Sustainability: Personal Care

Published by: Packaged Facts

Published: Sep. 1, 2009 - 38 Pages

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Methodology

A Joint Publication of The Hartman Group and Packaged Facts

The Hartman Group Quantitative and Qualitative Methods

About The Hartman Group, Inc

About Packaged Facts

Chapter 2: Sustainability & the American Consumer

Establishing a Definition of Sustainability

Figure 2-1: What “Sustainability” Means to Consumers

Sustainability Concerns and Purchasing Decisions

Figure 2-2: Frequency of Purchase Decisions Based on Sustainability Concerns

A Consumer-based Model of Responsibility

Figure 2-3: The Four Zones of Sustainability

Experiential Triggers

Figure 2-4: Triggers for Awareness

Informational Triggers

Figure 2-5: Top Sources of Information on Sustainability

The World of Sustainability: Core to Periphery

Figure 2-6: The World of Sustainability

Motivations and Barriers to Purchase

Convenience

Price

Expert Opinion

Experience

Knowledge

Table 2-1: Motivations and Barriers for Sustainable Purchases

Chapter 3: Personal Care and the Sustainability Consumer

The Personal Care Market and the Zones of Sustainability

Personal Benefit Zone of Sustainability

Environmental Zone of Sustainability

Recognizable Ingredients

Organic

Wild-Grown, Hand-Harvested

Chemical-Free

Social Zone of Sustainability

Humane Treatment of Animals

Motivations and Pathway(s) for Adoption

Attributes of Sustainable Personal Care

Natural is the Foremost Attribute of Sustainable Personal Care

Hierarchy of Specific Attributes

Table 3-1: Chemicals Consumers Avoid in Sustainable Personal Care Products

Relevant Personal Care Certification(s)

Cruelty Free

Organic

Other Certifications

Personal Care Product Packaging

Table 3-2: Packaging Do’s and Don’ts for Sustainable Personal Care Products

Purchase Criteria

Table 3-3: Purchase Criteria for Sustainable Personal Care Products

A Note about Sustainable Cosmetics

Quantitative Findings on Sustainable Personal Care Purchasing

Table 3-4: General Personal Care Product Categories and Corresponding Sustainable Versions

Figure 3-1: Purchases of Personal Care Products (By Product Category: General Category vs. Sustainable Versions)

Figure 3-2: Current Market Reach of Sustainable Personal Care Products (By Product Category)

Figure 3-3: Current Market Reach and Immediate Growth Opportunity of Sustainable Personal Care Products (By Product Category)

Figure 3-4: Willingness to Pay a Premium (20% More) for Sustainable Personal Care Products (By Product Category)

Chapter 4: Summary and Key Insights

Personal Health and Wellness Needs Are Key to Purchases

Tenets for Package Communications

Chapter 5: Market Update

Responses to Economic Downturn

Sustainability Convictions Largely Unchanged by Recession

Table 5-1: Recent Trends in Sustainability Psychographics: Opinions

Table 5-2: Recent Trends in Sustainability Psychographics: Behaviors

Consumers Remain Receptive to Natural HBC

Product Efficacy vs. Product Safety

Table 5-3: Percent Agreeing with Selected Psychographic Statements on Natural/Organic Health and Beauty Care Products, February 2009 (U.S. adults)

Only a Minority Are Inclined to Cut Back

Figure 5-1: Percent of Natural HBC Product Purchasers Who Anticipate Spending Less on HBC Products Within the Next Twelve Months, February 2009 (U.S. adults who purchase natural HBC products)

Market Growth Remains an Upward Arc

Table 5-4: Projected U.S. Retail Dollar Sales of Natural Personal Care Products, 2008-2014 (dollars in millions)

Abstract

This report forms part of a series jointly published by The Hartman Group and Packaged Facts on Consumers and Sustainability. This four-part series covers in separate reports the markets for foods and beverages, personal care products, household cleaners, and OTC medications and supplements.

Sustainability means different things to different people. Asked to identify what the term means to them, consumers most frequently respond “the ability to last over time” (76%) and “the ability to support oneself.” Sustainability is also strongly associated with environmental concerns, whereby consumers are being challenged to develop and express an “eco-consciousness” in their daily habits and purchases. Thus, nearly half of consumers associate sustainability with conserving natural resources and with recycling.

But using “eco-conscious” or “green” as synonymous with sustainability unduly limits the term. “Green” falls short as a description for the variety of social, economic and environmental issues that real-world individuals believe are important to sustaining themselves, their communities, and society at large. Adoption of sustainable products mirrors the health and wellness progression that The Hartman Group has previously reported, in which consumers first consider the impacts of things in the body, followed by on the body, and finally around the body.

As consumers become more educated about the environmental, social, and economic implications of their shopping habits, their health and wellness motivations dovetail with societal concerns, such that four zones of sustainability become relevant to purchasing choices:

• The Personal Benefit Zone
• The Environmental Zone
• The Social Zone
• The Economic Zone

Within the personal care market—which includes cleansers, soap, moisturizer, deodorant, shampoo, toothpaste, cosmetics and fragrances—personal health and wellness needs are the most important factor in what motivates a consumer to purchase a sustainable product. However, attributes such as “chemical free” and “not tested on animals” are also frequent considerations for conventional and alternative personal care products alike.

Consumers often review the ingredients contained in a personal care product looking for recognizable, pronounceable ingredients as an indication of “naturalness.” Although the term “natural” has lost significance in other categories, it remains a meaningful term to reference a variety of sustainable personal care product attributes that also signify quality to consumers.

Series Methodology

This report series was jointly produced by The Hartman Group and Packaged Facts, and is based on The Hartman Group’s 2009 multi-category study, Sustainability: The Rise of Consumer Responsibility. In addition, Packaged Facts provides an update of consumer attitudes and spending based on a proprietary online poll conducted in February 2009 and on Experian Simmons surveys fielded from November 2008 to June 2009.

The Hartman Group Quantitative and Qualitative Methods

This report draws primarily on an online survey of 1,856 U.S. adults conducted in September 2008 by The Hartman Group to understand consumer attitudes and behaviors related to sustainability. The sample was drawn from a panel of adult U.S. consumers with Internet access, and was designed to provide good representation of the U.S. population according to geographic area, age, gender, race and income. The Hartman Group also conducted qualitative research on sustainability in three markets (Seattle, Dallas, and Columbus) during August 2008, using consumer ethnography with fifty consumers as the cornerstone of qualitative research. Ethnographic interviews included one-on-one conversations at an individual’s home or at a specific retail setting, as well as group interviews also at consumers’ homes. These engagements garnered more than 100 hours of in-depth, revelatory consumer discussion.

Get Full Details About This Report >>

About MarketResearch.com
MarketResearch.com is an online aggregator selling over 250,000 market research reports, company profiles and country profiles from over 650 research firms. Our reports will provide you with the critical business and competitive intelligence you need for strategic planning and marketing research. Coverage includes the US, UK, Europe, Asia and global markets.