The following list consists of the top ten greenest brands in the US and UK. It was generated using data accumulated during a survey administered online in April of this year, among those surveyed were adults in US and the UK between the ages of 18 and 80 years old. The survey was administered by the marketing research firm Peen, Schoen & Berland Associates.
The list from top to bottom is as follows:
Whole Foods:
Based out of Texas and founded in 1980, the “Whole Foods Market® is now the world’s leading retailer of natural and organic foods, with 194 stores in North America and the United Kingdom”. They differ from your other local grocery chains in their attempt to promote a higher standard of quality while promoting the idea of sustainable agricultural practices.
They also include brand names such as Allegro Coffee and 365 Organic under their corporate umbrella.
Their mission statement embodies the ideal that we live “in a virtuous circle entwining the food chain, human beings and Mother Earth: each is reliant upon the others through a beautiful and delicate symbiosis”.
Wild Oats:
Wild Oats and Whole Foods have recently merged to become the same company but have retained separate stores for the time being; the Wild Oats stores will eventually be re-badged under the Whole Foods store label.
They are identical in their dedication to promoting a higher standard of quality in their products, while promoting the use of products and education that support health and wellbeing. Wild Oats is a chain proud to “sell food that remembers its roots”
Trader Joe’s:
With over 280 stores in over 23 states, Trader Joe’s was founded in 1958 under the original name Pronto Markets. They believe in offering consumers true “value” for their money and do this through their following methods.
- We buy direct from suppliers whenever possible, we bargain hard to get the best price, and then pass the savings on to you.
- If an item doesn’t pull its weight in our stores, it goes away to gang way for something else.
- We buy in volume and contract e arly to get the best prices.
- Most grocers charge their suppliers fees for putting an item on the shelf. This results in higher prices… so we don’t do it.
- We keep our costs low because every penny we save is a penny you save.
Trader Joe’s scours the globe in search of “true value” in the form of all-natural ingredients and inspiring flavors.
“We run a pretty lean ship, too - you won’t find any corporate jets or fancy offices around here. Heck, our CEO doesn’t even have a secretary!”
Toyota:
Committed to implementing their Earth Charter and 2010 Global Vision, Toyota is constantly seeking “ways to meet the growing transportation needs of society in ways that are less harmful to our Earth”. The Toyota Earth Charter combines their concept of ‘Kaizen’, a “philosophy of continuous improvement, with responsible environmental stewardship”. Their dedication to the sustainability of the environment extends “from the creation and improvement of eco-friendly automotive technologies and waste management techniques to contributions to local environmental and clean-up initiatives”.
They have three models of hybrid cars, the Prius, Highlander and Camry, that all offer fuel efficiency while keeping performance and power in mind.
Honda:
Honda was most recently named the Greenest Automaker by the Union of Concerned Scientists for having the fleet of lowest smog-forming and global-warming emission cars. Their car, the Honda Fit, also recently won the EnerGuide award for the most fuel-efficient car in its class this year. Their Civic Hybrid boasts an amazing 4.7L/100 Km making it the winner of the Greenest World Car of the Year award and consequently, one of the most environmentally and economically affordable cars of the decade.
Having more notably introduced low-emission technology to the Canadian automotive market, Honda, remains steadfast in their commitment to provide consumers with low-emission and environmentally friendly products while still maintaining a high level of quality and cost-efficiency.
While it is evident that more and more large mainstream corporations/companies are shifting focus towards green and safer ecological practices, the most important thing to note is the fact that this shift is in direct correlation to a change in consumer demand.
Peen, Schoen & Berland Associates reports that a significant proportion of the populations sampled (more specifically 8 in 10) would rather purchase goods/services from a company who practices either ecological sound methods of production or offers an environmentally-friendly product when presented with such an opportunity. This global shift towards a more environmentally-conscious demand in the market denotes one of the most important consumer trends in history.
It was also observed by Peen, Schoen & Berland Associates that green individuals and consumers in the US and UK are very different, in the US the active environmentally-friendly consumer tends to be younger, female, and earning around the the national average income of about $50k, while in the UK the active environmentally-friendly consumer tends to be on average older, male and highly educated.
Stay tuned for the second half of the list…
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The second half of this week`s list of the Top Ten Green Brands in the US and UK. You can find