Study: Shoppers to go green for the holidays

NEW YORK Consumers will be buying more eco-friendly gifts this holiday season, according to Deloitte's 22nd Annual Holiday Survey of retail spending and trends. The survey found that 18% of consumers will purchase more "green" products than in the past, and 17% said they will shop at environmentally-conscious retailers.

The survey also found that 27% of consumers surveyed will use fewer plastic bags from supermarkets and other stores this holiday season, and 20% will consider not wrapping holiday gifts to conserve paper. These concerns about the environment were consistent across gender, age and income groups, according to the study.

"Most importantly, a significant number of people - 17% - are willing to pay more for 'green' gifts or supplies, which tells us that this issue is on shoppers' minds this year and is becoming more central to consumers' purchasing decisions," said Stacy Janiak, Deloitte's U.S. retail leader. "Savvy retailers are taking concrete steps to become more environmentally friendly, and are incorporating this sensibility into their operations, as well as their customer communications. At the same time, they should be cautious about promoting their eco-initiatives too early, before they've made real progress, due to the potential for consumer backlash."