How Recognizable Is the Recycling Symbol?

We’ve all seen those small symbols and logos on products lining store shelves. From leaping bunnies to green check marks, these labels let us know if the product being purchased is cruelty free or whole trade guaranteed, fair trade certified or USDA organic, recyclable or biodegradable.

With more than 400 certification seals worldwide, all validating social or environmental claims on behalf of companies, it may lead one to question: Just how great an impact do these green seals have? How recognizable are these trustmarks to consumers?

Almost 90% of those surveyed knew what this symbol meant. Photo: LiverpoolChamberBlog.org

Marketing company BBMG conducted their second annual Conscious Conscious Consumer Report studying purchasing behavior and social issues in consumer spending. They studied 13 specific certification seals with 2,000 respondents. Based on their results, only a handful of these seals are recognizable to consumers. Our favorite symbol, the recyclable symbol, is luckily number one of the handful, with 89 percent of respondents recognizing it from product packaging.

The other most commonly recognized symbols adorning product packaging are the ENERGY STAR seal at 87 percent and the USDA Organic seal at 62 percent. Each of the three most familiar seals is sponsored by federal agencies, according to BBMG. Consumers appear to be far less familiar with certification seals sponsored by non-governmental and non-profit organizations.

When asked how often the seals or labels are looked for on products when shopping, only the Energy Star and the Recyclable seals seemed to impact consumer purchasing. The Energy Star seal was “always” or “most of the time” looked at 57 percent of the time and the Recyclable seal was “always” or “most of the time” looked at 45 percent of the time. The results indicate that the seals’ impact on intent to purchase is quite low.

“While the majority of U.S. consumers are unfamiliar with most trustmarks today, we believe that certifications can work for forward-looking brands in several ways,” said Mitch Baranowski, BBMG founding partner. “Trustmarks help ensure companies follow best practices by setting clear and transparent standards. They serve important proof points for overall brand messages and stories. And they can provide an objective, third-party stamp of approval that demonstrates how companies are following through on their social and environmental claims.”