Majority of Japanese ignorant of Fairtrade

goo Research conducted a detailed survey into Fairtrade products. For reference, similar questions were asked by goo Research two and a half years ago.

Demographics

Between the 28th and 31st of January 2013 2,350 members of the goo Research online monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. The sample was exactly 50:50 male and female, and similarly the age groups were evenly split with 20.0% in each of the age bands from twenties to the over-sixties.

I’d like to buy more Fairtrade, but there is a definite lack of shops here selling it. The obvious product is coffee, but although I don’t drink it at home, if there is a choice when I go to a coffee shop I will take the Fairtrade one, although again it is very rare to find such a cafe.

Research results

Q1: Do you know about Fairtrade? (Sample size=2,350)

	Know in detail (to SQ1)	Heard the name	Don’t know it
All N=2,350	17.1%	26.7%	56.2%
Male N=1,175	14.4%	25.1%	60.5%
Female N=1,175	19.8%	28.3%	51.9%

Q1SQ1: Have you ever bought Fairtrade products? (Sample size=402)

	Have bought (to SQ2, SQ3, SQ4)	Haven’t bought (to SQ5)
All N=402	57.2%	42.8%
Male N=169	46.2%	53.8%
Female N=233	65.2%	34.8%

Q1SQ2: Where have you bought Fairtrade products? (Sample size=230, multiple answer)

Coffee store, cafe	29.6%
Natural foods shop	25.7%
Internet	24.8%
Variety store	22.6%
Supermarket	20.9%
Fairtrade shop	17.4%
Co-operative	8.3%
Department store	7.8%
Convenience store	3.5%
Event marketplace	3.0%
Other	14.8%

Q1SQ3: What kinds of Fairtrade products have you bought? (Sample size=230, multiple answer)

Foodstuff	90.4%
Accessories, ornaments, etc	25.7%
Clothes	18.7%
Bath, toiletry items	5.7%
Other	2.2%

Q1SQ4: For what reasons did you buy Fairtrade products? (Sample size=230, multiple answer)

Because I liked the product itself	70.9%
Because I can contribute towards the economies of developing nations	57.0%
Because it’s a social good	37.4%
Because I can contribute to international co-operation	33.5%
Because I can contribute to protecting the environment	17.8%
Because they are good quality	17.8%
Because they are cheap	6.5%
Because people were talking about it, was in vogue	2.6%
Because it’s cool to buy Fair Trade	2.2%
Because friends, family recommended them	1.7%
Other	2.6%

Q1SQ5: For what reasons have you not bought Fairtrade products? (Sample size=172, multiple answer)

Because no shops close at hand stock Fair Trade	48.8%
Because there is no Fair Trade version of products I want	33.1%
Because I don’t know where I can buy Fair Trade products	25.0%
Because they are expensive	23.8%
Because I don’t know which products are Fair Trade	20.3%
Because I’m not interested in Fair Trade	9.3%
Because I feel worried about product quality	4.1%
Because I don’t like the design	1.7%
Because I don’t agree with the rationale behind Fairtrade	1.2%
Other	0.5%

Q2: Would you want to buy Fairtrade products in the future? (Sample size=2,350)

Want to buy (to SQ)	7.5%
Perhaps want to buy (to SQ)	46.1%
Don’t really want to buy	34.8%
Don’t want to buy	11.6%

Q2SQ: How much of a price difference from average prices would you be prepared to pay for Fairtrade products? (Sample size=1,260, multiple answer)

	Coffee	Clothes	Accessories
Would pay more than twice as much	0.7%	0.8%	0.9%
Would pay up to twice as much	4.0%	3.0%	2.8%
Would pay up to 50% more	6.0%	4.0%	4.9%
Would pay up to 30% more	10.6%	9.0%	7.9%
Would pay up to 20% more	21.0%	18.8%	16.8%
Would pay up to 10% more	26.2%	26.4%	22.8%
Would pay the same price	27.9%	33.3%	36.0%
Would only buy if cheaper	3.7%	4.6%	7.9%