Dentsu Japan Network Conducts Seventh “Consumer Survey on Carbon Neutrality”

―Approximately 80% of consumers feel affected by energy price increases, which have also influenced attitudes toward carbon neutrality―

Dentsu Japan Network (President & CEO: Norihiro Kuretani; Head Office: Tokyo; hereinafter referred to as “DJN”) conducted its seventh “Consumer Survey on Carbon Neutrality” (hereinafter referred to as “the survey”) from April 22 to 23, 2022. The survey was carried out by its DJN Sustainability Development Office and Dentsu Team SDGs, both of which promote sustainability projects across the Dentsu Group, and the respondents were 1,400 people across Japan with an age range spanning people in their teens to those in their 70s. This survey has been conducted continuously since April 2021, with the results announced in earlier press releases. This time, DJN investigated the effects of the situation in Ukraine on consumers’ awareness and actions toward carbon neutrality.

Main Findings

1. The recognition^*1 rate of the term ”carbon neutrality” was 59.3% (+1.1% from the previous survey^*2) and it has been steadily increasing since the first survey in April 2021. In addition, 77.4% of consumers feel the need^*3 for efforts to achieve carbon neutrality (+0.1% from the previous survey).

2. The recognition rate of price increases in energy resources caused by the situation in Ukraine, etc. was 75.1%. Additionally, the recognition rate of the energy-related effects of the situation in Ukraine on Japan was 80.1%. This can be interpreted as a sign that the energy price impact of the Ukraine situation is a familiar problem for many consumers.

3. 79.2% of people have felt the effects of energy price increases. In relation to this, consumer tolerance of additional costs due to carbon neutrality initiatives has decreased slightly in several survey items since the previous survey^*2, being especially prominent in items directly related to energy resources, such as electricity bills, water bills, gasoline bills, and gas bills, where it decreased by 3-4 points.

4. About half of the consumers who said that the Ukraine situation has affected Japanese energy pay regular attention to the international situation. These respondents have a relatively high tolerance for additional costs due to carbon neutrality initiatives.

- Since the composition ratio (%) in this survey is rounded off to the second decimal place, the total may not add up to 100%.

*1 Recognition (rate) is the ratio of the total number of consumers who answered “I understand the content” or “I only know the words” to the total number of respondents.

*2 Sixth survey (announced on April 12, 2022. Survey period: January 28 to 30, 2022)

*3 All of the respondents acknowledged the content of the explanation on carbon neutrality in the questionnaire before proceeding to answer the questions related to the necessity of initiatives.

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Contact:
Jumpei Kojima
Chief Director
Group Corporate Communications Office
Dentsu Group Inc.
E-mail: group-cc@dentsu-group.com