Environmentally –friendly shopping

Shoppers are hypocritical about buying environmentally friendly goods, according to a report which has found consumers are more concerned about impressing the neighbours than saving the planet. While consumers are more likely to ‘go green’ on the high street where they can be seen making altruistic choices, the privacy of online shopping brings out an entirely different behaviour. When people are not being watched by their peers they are more willing to shun the ethical products in favour of comfort and convenience, the report says. The habit has been studied by Vladas Griskevicius, of the University of Minnesota, who found ecofriendly shopping decisions are not always motivated by a social concern. He discovered that people were more likely to buy energy efficient light bulbs from the shops, but tended to opt for the old-fashioned type online. The same trend was also found when people purchased white goods, electronics and even domestic cleaning products over the internet. Mr Griskevicius picks out the Toyota Prius car as a prime example. Celebrities including Leonardo Di Caprio and Cameron Diaz have been photographed behind the wheel of a Prius, despite being well able to afford a more powerful and expensive car, sending the message that they are concerned for the environment too.