Environmentally friendly consumerism becomes new trend among shoppers


Yang Seung-hyun considers herself an aspiring green consumer.

Following home-making and childrearing tips from famous blogs and online communities run by fellow housewives and moms, she is now starting to embrace a greener lifestyle and consider the environmental impact of her spending.

“In blogs and cyberspace at least, organically grown food and bio-degradable detergents are the new norms,” said the 36-year-old mother of two.

She is part of a new breed of moms whose dedication to family is leading to a new consumer movement ― eco-life and eco-shopping.

Their to-do list includes ditching plastic food containers for ceramic and glass dishes; super soft, ultra white toilet paper for rough, brown varieties; and convenient disposable ones for cloth diapers. 

“I couldn’t go as far as giving up entirely on disposable diapers. Still, I try to choose products that are better for the environment and my little one,” said Yang, whose second child is now 13 months old.

The disposable diaper of her choice is made from 100 percent cotton, bio-degradable and has no toxic chemicals in it so that even seeds can sprout in it.

Green consumerism is a new hip trend among moms in Korea, to the delight of policymakers who in past years tried to turn “go green” into a national catchphrase.

The new culture is vital for a green economy, experts say, which President Lee Myung-bak in 2008 declared a future national development strategy.

“Green consumption is not a fad. It is the overwhelming trend of our era,” Lee has said.

A bundle of state-run incentive programs aimed at promoting green consumerism have been introduced since then.

One such effort is Green Card, a credit card that the government has developed jointly with BC Card, a local card issuer, to reward cardholders with points and benefits for various environmentally friendly practices, such as the purchase of certified eco products, use of public transportation and the conservation of household energy.

“The number of cardholders surpassed 3 million in July, less than a year after its official launch last year,” the Ministry of Environment said.

The three million cardholders account for about 12.5 percent of the country’s economically active population.

“It is an important milestone in our efforts to cultivate a culture of green consumption in Korea,” it said.

The Korean economy saw an explosive expansion in the market for green products, from 1.5 trillion won in 2004 to a whopping 22 trillion won in 2010. The government wants it to grow further to 40 trillion won by 2015.

At this year’s Green Day Festival, a month-long event organized by the environment ministry to encourage the consumption of green products, more than 14,000 retail outlets nationwide participated, offering various rewards and benefits for customers who purchase eco-friendly products. Only 734 stores participated last year.

Despite such early positive signs, experts say much work still needs to be done for green consumerism to really take off in Korea. Effective incentive programs are important to encourage consumers to buy green products, which are often more expensive than others.

Lee Yoon-gyeong, a 28-year-old office worker, is a Green Card holder but rarely takes it out of her wallet.

“A bank teller talked me into signing up for the card. I had heard of the reward program, but it sounded complicated and just not something for me. I end up buying the same products that I used to,” she said.

According to a survey by the ministry in May 2011, nine out of every 10 Korean consumers are aware of the importance of buying eco-friendly products. Eight in 10 said they were interested in buying green products.

But only four in 10 said they had purchased eco-friendly products at least once. 
Securing consumer trust in eco-friendly certifications and labels is also a challenge.

“Consumer trust is essential for the success of green products,” said Rep. Jung Hae-gul of the ruling Saenuri Party.

According to his office, cancellations of eco-friendly certification in agricultural produce jumped eight-fold in the past five years. The number of annulments stood at 2,735 in 2011, up from 352 in 2006. In most cases, those products were later found out to be not organically grown, he said.

“So far this year, over 5,132 cases of certification cancellation were reported, almost doubling the full-year tally last year,” he said.

By Lee Sun-young (milaya@heraldcorp.com)