Eurobarometer report: half of EU consumers ready to pay more to support producers

The European Commission issued on Monday 29 February 2016 the results of the “Special Eurobarometer 441 – The European Year for Development – Citizens’ views on Development, Cooperation and aid”. The previous Eurobarometer report on the same subject was published in January 2015.

The question asked was the following: “Would you be prepared to pay more for groceries or other products from developing countries to support people living in these countries (for instance for fair trade products)?”

Half of all respondents would be prepared to pay more for groceries or other products from developing countries to support people living in those countries. One third would be ready to pay up to 5% more (33%), while 13% would pay 6-10% more and 4% would pay more than 10% more. 47% of people declared not to be prepared to pay more to support people living in developing countries. The 3% remaining corresponds to the people who do not know.

The proportion of respondent willing to pay more has increased slightly since 2014 (+1 point), and is now at its highest since 2009.

Additionally, the survey focused on young people aged between 15 and 24, to see if there is a difference with young people and those aged over 25 years old. It resulted that young people were in general more willing to pay more for groceries to support people living the producing countries than people aged over 25. In fact, 56% would pay more whereas it is 48% among over-25-year-old people.

The proportion of respondent aged 15-24 willing to pay more has increased slightly since 2014 (+1 point) whereas among over 25 respondent it has not. However, the proportion of the respondent (among 25 year-old) ready to pay up to 6-10% more has increased by 1% point and so did the proportion of people that would pay more than 10% more.

The proportion of “undecided” respondent among 15-24 year-old people has increased by 2%.