“Made in the USA” counts with consumers

And so do “chemicals of concern” and recycling.

For our Eco Pulse™ 2013 study, we asked respondents to choose the three most important things that companies should be doing that might positively impact their purchase decisions.

Placing first was “manufacture in the United States” (17.7 percent).

This was followed closely by “remove chemicals of concern” (17 percent) and “recycle” (16.9 percent).

“Made in the U.S.A.” is a powerful messaging across the board, to all consumer segments. It resonates with conservatives because of the patriotic appeal and economic benefits, and with greener consumers because of their belief that U.S. regulations make American products “safer.”

Ironically, it’s getting more and more difficult to make this claim. We live in an age of global sourcing where pieces and parts come from multiple manufacturing plants all over the world. Most consumers are also only vaguely aware of the true nationality of most companies.

But if you can fly the stars and stripes – do it!