Majority of Americans Claim Rising Energy Costs are Forcing Change in Habits
Released on = November 3, 2006, 1:12 pm
Press Release Author = Roman Peshoff Marketing Public Relations
Industry = Energy
Press Release Summary = Energy PulseŠ 2006, an annual national consumer market study that investigates energy consumption and conservation attitudes, reports 70 percent of Americans say their energy costs have risen from 10 percent to 50 percent in the last year, and 63 percent say they've made changes to reduce their consumption as a result.
Press Release Body = KNOXVILLE, Tenn., 2006 - Rising energy prices have driven America to a tipping point. A new national consumer market study finds the rising costs of energy are now high enough that a majority of Americans say they've been forced to change their consumption habits. Energy PulseŠ 2006, an annual national consumer market study that investigates energy consumption and conservation attitudes, reports 70 percent of Americans say their energy costs have risen from 10 percent to 50 percent in the last year, and 63 percent say they've made changes to reduce their consumption as a result. Eighty-eight percent of those surveyed consider energy conservation to be important to very important, and they're more aware of what "renewable energy" is. In fact, 42 percent of Americans can now name at least one form - up from only 20 percent last year. "What's encouraging about this year's results is that 77 percent of those surveyed understand that the best solution for our energy problems is a combination of increasing efficiency and reducing consumption," says Suzanne Shelton, president and founder of the Shelton Group, which conducts the annual Energy Pulse study. "However, when it comes to buying energy-conserving products and services, there's still a disconnect between what consumers say and what they do. "Sixty-five percent of Americans say that people don't do more to conserve energy because it's too hard to change habits. Sixty-four percent say it's because there is not enough information available. We feel that both answers are simply excuses. Human beings will - more - Majority of Americans Claim Rising Energy Costs are Forcing Change in Habits - Page 2
change their behaviors if they get the benefit in doing so, and there is scads of information available. We think that the real answer to why people don't change is because they just don't get what's in it for them. It's really a social marketing issue," she added.
Blaming the Government According to the study, most U.S. consumers (29 percent) blame the U.S. government for rising energy prices, while only 21 percent say that oil companies are to blame. " Consumers aren't recognizing the full spectrum of factors affecting energy issues," Shelton says. "A majority answered 'rising oil and gas prices' when asked what we meant by 'increasing energy prices.'" The reality is that at the time of the survey, while gasoline prices had risen by 48 percent over the last two years, natural gas prices also had gone up 42 percent and electricity was up 17 percent. Shelton advises that education needs to play a central role in helping Americans comprehend the energy crisis in order for personal responsibility and behavior changes to occur.
U.S. Consumer Segments Energy Pulse 2006 discovered four distinct consumer segments with different socioeconomic attributes and conservation concerns and motivations. They are: ˇ Conservative Classics ˇ Young Urbanites ˇ Working-Class Realists ˇ Progressive Matriarchs The Energy Pulse 2006 study is available for purchase. For more information, visit www.EnergyPulse.org. # # #
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