At a time when US environmental policy is under increased scrutiny, more than half (56%) of consumers here still say they are willing to pay more to use environment-friendly (“green”) products – an uptick of three percentage points from the 2010 level (53%).

The findings come from GfK MRI’s gold-standard Survey of the American Consumer®, which is based on roughly 25,000 in-person interviews each year. The data also show that half (50%) of adults say (agree “somewhat” or “mostly”) that they are willing to give up convenience in return for a product that is environmentally safe – an increase of three points from 2010 (47%).

Click here to learn more about GfK MRI’s Survey of the American Consumer®

Consumer interest in a company’s “green” scorecard has held steady in recent years. According to the latest GfK MRI research, 49% agree at least partly with the statement, “A company’s environmental record is important to me in my purchasing decisions.” That represents a one-point increase versus 2010 (48%).

GfK MRI’s studies show that almost seven in 10 (69%) US consumers agree “somewhat” or “completely” with the statement, “Global warming is a serious threat,” a jump of five points from the 2010 level (64%).

But GfK MRI also shows that usage of some of the top environmentally friendly household items – including “green” light bulbs, all-purpose cleaners, and facial tissues – has been flat or even fallen since 2010.

The data do show, however, that those who say they want to help the environment also report above-average levels of buying green items, such as cleaning and paper products.

GfK MRI’s unmatched consumer database is derived from continuous interviews with roughly 25,000 US adults each year. As part of The Survey of the American Consumer®, respondents record their consumption of some 6,500 products in nearly 600 categories and provide details about their lifestyles and attitudes.