According to the Nielsen Global Survey of Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability based on interviews with 30,000 internet users in 60 countries, including Italy, consumers are willing to pay more to purchase “responsible” brands that represent values of sustainability and well-being.

The results reveal that a high proportion of consumers (66% of respondents) are willing to pay more for a “responsible” brand, up from 55% in 2014 and 50% in 2013. In the last year, sales of brands considered as socially responsible have grown by more than 4% compared to other brands.

There are significant differences between North America and Europe, where just 44% and 51% of respondents expressed a willingness to pay more for a responsible brand, and other areas where rates of urbanisation and consequently environmental impact are higher.

In South America the percentage is 71% and in Africa and the Middle East/Pakistan 75%, but the highest figure of all is amongst consumers in the Asia Pacific and Southeast Asia regions (76% and 80% respectively). Italian consumers are in line with the European average, with 52% of respondents stating that they are willing to pay more for products that offer this collective benefit.