What types of consumers are likely to buy green products? Are they willing to pay more or travel farther for them? These are among the questions TNS and Information Resources, Inc. (IRI) will help consumer packaged goods (CPG) and retail executives answer as part of a new collaboration announced today. TNS is a world leader in market and consumer insight and information; IRI is the leading global provider of consumer, shopper and market insights.
IRI will integrate TNS’ “Shades of Green” segmentation methodology into IRI’s Consumer Network® Household Panel. “Shades of Green” segments consumers by their attitudes and behavior towards environmental issues and motivation to purchase green products. IRI’s Consumer Network Panel is a consumer panel that demographically reflects the U.S. consumer base and provides data on actual purchase patterns, product selections, trip missions and related shopping information. By applying the TNS “Shades of Green” segmentation methodology to IRI’s consumer purchase panel, IRI clients will be able to monitor category and brand purchasing dynamics across the full range of green consumer segments.
This enhanced Consumer Network panel will enable marketers to:
> monitor consumer purchase behavior among consumer and shopper groups that are segmented by their attitude and behavior toward the environment
> track conversion rates and loyalty across “green” segments
> gauge client reaction to featured “green” in-store marketing
“What we are offering marketers is unique and really powerful,” said Robert I. Tomei, President of TNS U.S. Areas of Expertise & Marketing and Global Head of TNS’ 6th dimension Access Panels. “For the first time, marketers (both manufacturers and retailers) will have a combined view of consumer environmental attitudes with actual purchase behavior. Clients introducing green products will be able to use this segmentation to track trial and repeat, conversion rates and loyalty across segments.”
According to Tomei, this could be the first of a series of TNS and IRI collaborations, designed to deliver valuable insights to clients.
“While it is clear that consumers are generally more aware of environmentally sustainable products, adoption rates vary among different market segments,” said Kevin Shields, Senior Vice President, Business and Consumer Insights at IRI. “CPG companies and retailers will now be able to see how consumers’ environmental attitudes translate into purchasing behaviors. This new level of insight created by integrating TNS’ segmentation approach into our IRI Consumer Network Panel will help CPG companies identify opportunities to develop products, messages, and promotional campaigns that have the dual benefit of increasing sales and creating products friendly to our environment.”
Both firms have developed significant expertise in identifying and analyzing U.S. consumer attitudes and behaviors surrounding the purchase of green, recycled and environmentally benign products.
To better understand the diverse environmental sentiments across the United States, TNS completed a major global study in 17 countries into consumer attitudes and behaviors around environmental issues leveraging TNS’ 6th dimension Access Panels. Based on survey findings, TNS experts identified eight distinct segments among U.S. consumers. The segments range from highly environmentally motivated and active segments through total “non-believers.” For more information about the TNS Global Shades of Green study go to http://www.tns-us.com/greenlife/
IRI completed a comprehensive attitudinal survey of 22,000 U.S. consumers in January 2008 that found approximately 50 percent of respondents consider at least one sustainability factor in selecting a CPG product. IRI asked consumers to determine the impact on their purchase patterns of four sustainability factors: organic, eco-friendly products, eco-friendly packaging and fair treatment of employees and suppliers. It also found that nearly 40 percent of respondents search specifically for organic products.
About TNS
TNS is a global market insight and information group. Our strategic goal is to be recognized as the global leader in delivering value-added information and insights that help our clients to make more effective decisions.
As industry thought leaders, our people deliver innovative thinking and excellent services to global organizations and local clients worldwide. We work in partnership with our clients, meeting their needs for high-quality information, analysis and foresight across our network of over 70 countries.
We are the world’s foremost provider of custom research and analysis, combining in-depth industry sector understanding with world-class expertise in the areas of new product development, segmentation and positioning research, brand and advertising research and stakeholder management. We are a major supplier of consumer panel, media intelligence and internet, TV and radio audience measurement services.
TNS is the sixth sense of business. For more information, visit www.tns-us.com or http://www.tnsglobal.com
About Information Resources, Inc.
IRI is the world’s leading provider of consumer, shopper, and retail market intelligence and insights supporting 95 percent of the FORTUNE Global 500 consumer packaged goods (CPG), retail and healthcare companies. Only IRI offers the unique combination of integrated market information, automated and predictive analytics, innovative enabling technologies, and domain expertise. With IRI, leading retailers and manufacturers are able to quickly discover breakthrough insights driving smarter decisions and actions across the enterprise for breakthrough results. Companies around the world depend on IRI for improved productivity, stronger brands, and dramatic revenue growth. For more information, visit http://us.infores.com.
