 Real concern or green-washing? BP and Shell considered two of the UK’s greenest brands
May 18th 2007 A survey to identify the top 20 green brands according to public perception has placed oil giants BP and Shell in the top twenty along with three supermarkets, two automotive companies and an airline.
The results of the 2007 ImagePower Green Brands Survey revealed that both feature in the top 20 UK green consumer brands with BP at number 9 and Shell at number 15.
The petroleum industry as a whole is considered to be the fifth greenest sector by consumers.
The UK survey of 1,525 British adults found that although support for many green ideas is now mainstream, understanding of what it means to be green is shallow, confused and easily swayed by company messages - the primary focus is on reducing their waste rather than reducing consumption.
Top 20 UK Green Brands:
1. The Body Shop
2. Smart
3. Waitrose
4. The Co-operative Bank
5. Tesco
6. Marks & Spencer
7. Dyson
8. Sainsbury’s
9. BP
10. Aveda
11. Asda
12. Toyota
13. Virgin Atlantic
14. Nivea
15. Shell
16. Indesit
17. Npower
18. Bosch
19. Google
20. Eurostar
Industry ranking by greenness:
1. Body care
2. Grocery
3. Appliances
4. Automotive
5. Energy/Petroleum
6. Banking
7. Online Technology
8. Travel
The research found that companies that promote themselves as green or present themselves as ethically concerned can reap substantial rewards. Green brands are perceived as having higher quality and consumers say they are prepared to pay a ‘green premium’ for them.
Brands that align themselves with environmental concerns can expect to gain a competitive advantage as environmental concern grows in the future.
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