Consumer Buzz: Green in the Garden Centre?

Just what do garden centres think about positioning and selling "green" or "eco-friendly" products in their stores? West County Gardener surveyed 200-plus independent garden center staff members at the 2008 Independent Garden Center Show in Chicago this year. They just released their Green Market Research Study findings, in addition to announcing that their 2009 gloves will contain recycled material.

A few statistics from the research which could be a good indicator for the Australian industry:

*78% of respondents believed that consumers were willing to pay slightly more for green products.

* 85% of respondents believed that consumers perceive green products to be of the same or better quality than their conventional counterparts.

* 52% of those surveyed believed that consumers were either moderately to highly concerned about the health of the environment.

* Almost 85% of those surveyed said that they sell environmentally friendly or recycled content products either within their stores or online.

* Of those respondents whose stores sell green products, the most common environmentally friendly product sold was fertilizer, followed by soil conditioners, pots, and hoses or watering grips. The most common responses from respondents when asked to define a green product were “doesn't harm the environment,” “made from recycled materials,” and “100% biodegradable.”

* Only 33% of respondents said they do special promotion or events for Earth Day.