Europeans Willing to Pay a Premium for "Green-Electronics"

[IChing]

According to survey results released by Canalys, consumers in some Western European countries are willing to pay a premium for electronic goods produced in a more environmentally conscious way. The online survey was conducted in April among more than 2,000 employed, adult mobile phone and PC users in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK.

The independent survey asked a series of questions relating to consumer attitudes, opinions and behaviour in relation to a number of technology products and services. One of the key issues facing the technology industry is how it contributes to reducing the threat of global warming. Technology can help businesses reduce their carbon footprints, for example by replacing paper forms with digital equivalents or reducing employees' road travel through the use of mobile devices and GPS systems. But as a global industry manufacturing and distributing billions of electronic products each year, its own emissions and the commercial implications of reducing them must be considered.

"Slightly more than half - 55% - of consumers agreed or strongly agreed with the statement: 'I would pay up to a 10% premium for electronic products that were manufactured in a more environmentally conscious way.' You should expect more people to say this than would actually do it, but 11% strongly agreed with the statement and the reality is most likely somewhere between the two today," said Canalys senior analyst Pete Cunningham. "We will be monitoring this issue closely in future surveys to see the effect growing awareness of environmental concerns is having on consumer buying behaviour."

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