1. Sylvia Maurer Project Coordinator - Environment & Safety Deparment BEUC, the EU Consumers’ Organisation EESC Public Hearing on SCP 10 December 2008 Sustainable consumption and prodcution The consumer’s perspective

2. Urgent need for actions 4 main areas of environmental impacts: The food we eat The way we run our homes The way we get round The way we travel Source: May 2006 study on EIPRO 70-80% of impacts

3. Failure of sustainable policies No link with other policies Not all actors are involved Unbalanced and insufficient focus on production side Consumption side inadequately addressed Consumer demand seen as main driver

4. What consumers (say they) want 75% of EU consumers are prepared to buy environmentally friendly products (even if more expensive) Only 17% purchase ‘green’ products on a regular basis Though increased sales of Ecolabelled and organic products

5. Why don’t consumers act? Hardly trust governments’ and industry’s messages Not sure their action will make a difference Do not want to act alone Costs of acting Cannot easily find ‘green’ products Mislead by industry claims and green-wash

6. Integrate the EU SCP policy framework with other EU policies Ensure coherence and synergies between existing policies Address all aspects of sustainability, not only environmental ones Take both production and consumption with equal ambition Keys to success

7. The triangle of change The “I will if you will” concept

8. A policy tool box is needed Regulations (& voluntary guidelines): increased product standards, regulated claims… Economic or market-based instruments, GPP and product benchmarks Labelling of products ‘Social marketing’: use of business marketing techniques for the social good ‘Choice editing’: + sustainable products on shelves Formal education

9. What we expect from the implementation of the SCP Ambitious measures Eco-design should cover non-energy related products and all environmentally relevant aspects Eco-label needs to be strengthened, provisions on third-party testing, chemicals and precautionary principle has to be kept Energy Label layout from A-G must be kept; Label should become more dynamic Retail Forum: ambitious objectives, monitoring

10. Sylvia Maurer Project Coordinator - Environment and Safety Department sma@beuc.eu - 02 743 15 93