A report from Mintel has highlighted a gap between the ethical living practices of men and women, with the latter taking the lead.
The statistical findings show 71% of women ‘try to live more ethically’, compared to 59% of men, and 33% of British men try to use less water versus 38% of women, while on a wider level 52% of 16-24 year-olds struggle to understand what can and cannot be recycled, compared to 36% of over 65s.
Mintel concludes that while, overall, consumers are increasingly tuned into the issue of sustainable and ethical living, the male half of the population is ‘lagging behind’ its female counterpart where maintenance of ‘good environmental habits’ is concerned. Recycling remains the UK’s number one ethical habit, says the report, but women are more conscientious in certain aspects of ethical habit-keeping. “Although the battle of the thermostat is rife in Britain’s households … women (64%) are more likely than men (58%) to regularly turn down/off the heating when they are not at home,” states the report.
There is also clearly a wider disconnect between men and environmental issues, which, more troublingly, could be due to men feeling that caring for the environment somehow undermines their masculinity
From its research, Mintel observes a sense of ‘being in it together’, noting that 61% of participants admitted trying to encourage their friends and family to follow suit, but again men (59%) were less inclined to spread the message than women (65%).
Jack Duckett, senior consumer lifestyles analyst, Mintel, comments: “Mintel data highlights something of an ‘eco gender gap’ revealing that men are less likely to pursue environmentally-friendly behaviours than their female counterparts. This could simply be a reflection of the fact that, according to our research, many women still tend to take charge of the running of the household, with chores such as cleaning, laundry and even recycling falling under that banner.
“However, there is also clearly a wider disconnect between men and environmental issues, which, more troublingly, could be due to men feeling that caring for the environment somehow undermines their masculinity. This is certainly a sentiment that risks being reinforced by advertisers, with eco-friendly campaigns and product claims largely aimed at female audiences. At a time where so many advertisers are exploring what it means to be a man, there are opportunities for brands to create campaigns that will reposition environmentally-friendly behaviours as part of modern masculinity.”
