ENERGY STAR® is a powerful persuader for consumers

But others might not help much at shelf.

Our Eco Pulse ™ 2013 study tells us that about a quarter of consumers want to see third-party certifications on green products.

In a follow-up, we asked, “Which of the following are the best third-party certifiers to ensure that a product is green?”  As we’ve seen, for the past six years, the clear winner is ENERGY STAR ® at 49.8 percent.

USDA Certified Organic and the Green Good Housekeeping Seal tied for second at 27.9 percent. Consumer Reports Greener Choices placed fourth at 20 percent. The EPA Design for the Environment got 15.1 percent and the Green Seal® 11 percent.

The message for marketers is that consumers trust certifications they know.  Brand awareness is the most critical criteria in evaluating the value of a certification label.  For this reason, certifications linked to U.S. government entities have an edge, as do brands like Good Housekeeping,  that have been around for 100 years.

Ask yourself, “Who is my target audience?”  If it is mainstream consumers, a well-known label can help, but don’t expect lesser-known certifiers to make an impact at shelf.  If your target is a more sophisticated green buyer, then a well-respected, but lesser-known third-party certifier can help.