Consumers Opportunities of and Interest in Purchasing Green Electronic Products

Consumers Opportunities of and Interest in Purchasing Green Electronic Products

Bilag B. Framework of questions for retailer interview

In 2000, CASA and dk-TEKNIK conducted a survey on behalf of the Danish EPA, to charter public procurement of and interest in less polluting electronic products. One aim of the survey was to determine the use and effect of the tools available to aid (public) purchasers in procuring less polluting electronic products: eco-labels (Swan, Flower, Blauer Engel), energy labels (Energy Star, Energy Arrow), the Danish IT Industry Association’s environmental declarations and the Danish EPA’s procurement guidelines.

CASA and dk-TEKNIK are now conducting a survey together with Gallup that focuses on general consumer interest in and possibilities of purchasing less polluting electronic products. The objective of the survey is to chart consumer awareness, attitudes and behaviour in relation to the environmental load of electronic products as well as to study consumers’ needs for information and evaluation tools. We fulfil this aim through a questionnaire survey of consumers. However, we are also surveying consumers’ possibility of buying environment-friendly products from retailers of electronic products.

5.5 Overall questions

Before we start on the more specific questions on the electronic products you offer and consumers’ demand for less polluting electronic products, we first have a couple of questions related to aspects such as your own purchasing.

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Today, the environment is the subject of ever increasing discussions and figures on the agenda of many companies. Both manufacturing companies and their retailers.

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Selection of environment-friendly products
The environment is a subject of ever increasing debates - also in relation to electronic products. In this context, the debate focuses on standby-time, reusable plastic and the content of heavy metals in batteries. To enable consumers to purchase less polluting electronic products, a selection of environment-friendly electronic products should of course be available.

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Demand for environment-friendly products
If we really want to start development of environment-friendly electronic products, we need demand for them. Public purchasers are gradually beginning to demand environment-friendly electronic products, but what about private consumers?

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Marketing
If consumers are to demand less polluting electronic products, they have to know that such products exist. Consumers can, for instance, obtain such information through retailer marketing of environment-friendly electronic products.

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Sales
The sales situation is another way of informing consumers of environmental aspects of electronic products. At that point in time, information on environmental aspects of electronic products might influence consumers to make more environment-friendly choices.

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Internal communication
If any consumers have wishes, requirements or questions to environmental aspects of electronic products, it may be important to register such signals.

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Purchasing
You as retailers can best influence developments by making environmental requirements to electronic products in relation to purchasing.

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Internal knowledge
Clearly, one needs internal knowledge on the environmental load of electronic products to make requirements in relation to purchasing and to inform customers on environmental aspects of electronic products.

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Consumers’ knowledge
To get consumers to demand environment-friendly products, they have to be aware that the products exist and know which environmental aspects are important.

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Parallel to other areas
In recent years, environmental aspects have gained ground in the food sector through organic foods. The Danish co-op FDB, in particular, is campaigning with a wide range of organic foods. Similarly, a major campaign is currently running in Denmark to promote environment-friendly textiles - both eco-labelled textiles and eco-labelled detergents.

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