Do consumers care about substances of very high concern in articles?
Abstract Background Consumers have the right to inquire whether a consumer article contains substances of very high concern (‘SVHC right to know’). This communication tool is designed to stimulate suppliers to substitute such ingredients. A survey among 1321 consumers with high motivation and intere...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2018-08-01
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| Series: | Environmental Sciences Europe |
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| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12302-018-0153-1 |
| _version_ | 1818013044726300672 |
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| author | Sabrina Hartmann Ursula Klaschka |
| author_facet | Sabrina Hartmann Ursula Klaschka |
| author_sort | Sabrina Hartmann |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Consumers have the right to inquire whether a consumer article contains substances of very high concern (‘SVHC right to know’). This communication tool is designed to stimulate suppliers to substitute such ingredients. A survey among 1321 consumers with high motivation and interest in harmful substances in everyday products was conducted to understand the acceptance of this ‘right to know’ among consumers. Results Only one out of seven survey participants stated to be well informed about the ‘SVHC right to know’ with nearly all of them having good self-reported chemical knowledge. Three quarters of the participants who are not working with chemicals or REACH at their workplace have never heard about the ‘SVHC right to know’. Every second participant declared their interest to search for more information about an SVHC in a certain article, but, in fact, not more than 4% of all participants inquired for SVHCs with various methods. Only 1% would buy an SVHC-containing article with no strings attached. While detailed comments by some survey participants showed a high level of understanding of the issue, many respondents were not sure what the SVHC information means for their daily life. They declared that they would inform themselves, reduce the use of the article with SVHCs, circulate this information, or throw such an article into the garbage. Most study participants suggested improvements of the ‘SVHC right to know’. The preferred suggestions were a ban of SVHCs, easily understandable information on the packaging, full ingredient declaration on the articles, or no need to inquire for every single item, while smartphone applications for SVHC requests were the least popular suggestion in all age groups. Conclusions Various reasons could be identified why most consumers—even these motivated and interested ones—do not use the ‘SVHC right to know’. This allowed developing recommendations for improving the effectiveness of this communication instrument on the way to the gradual elimination of SVHCs in consumer articles. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T06:28:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ee011d9c2871420f965709c74ac5113a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2190-4707 2190-4715 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T06:28:25Z |
| publishDate | 2018-08-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Sciences Europe |
| spelling | doaj.art-ee011d9c2871420f965709c74ac5113a2022-12-22T02:07:43ZengSpringerOpenEnvironmental Sciences Europe2190-47072190-47152018-08-0130112710.1186/s12302-018-0153-1Do consumers care about substances of very high concern in articles?Sabrina Hartmann0Ursula Klaschka1University UlmUniversity of Applied Sciences UlmAbstract Background Consumers have the right to inquire whether a consumer article contains substances of very high concern (‘SVHC right to know’). This communication tool is designed to stimulate suppliers to substitute such ingredients. A survey among 1321 consumers with high motivation and interest in harmful substances in everyday products was conducted to understand the acceptance of this ‘right to know’ among consumers. Results Only one out of seven survey participants stated to be well informed about the ‘SVHC right to know’ with nearly all of them having good self-reported chemical knowledge. Three quarters of the participants who are not working with chemicals or REACH at their workplace have never heard about the ‘SVHC right to know’. Every second participant declared their interest to search for more information about an SVHC in a certain article, but, in fact, not more than 4% of all participants inquired for SVHCs with various methods. Only 1% would buy an SVHC-containing article with no strings attached. While detailed comments by some survey participants showed a high level of understanding of the issue, many respondents were not sure what the SVHC information means for their daily life. They declared that they would inform themselves, reduce the use of the article with SVHCs, circulate this information, or throw such an article into the garbage. Most study participants suggested improvements of the ‘SVHC right to know’. The preferred suggestions were a ban of SVHCs, easily understandable information on the packaging, full ingredient declaration on the articles, or no need to inquire for every single item, while smartphone applications for SVHC requests were the least popular suggestion in all age groups. Conclusions Various reasons could be identified why most consumers—even these motivated and interested ones—do not use the ‘SVHC right to know’. This allowed developing recommendations for improving the effectiveness of this communication instrument on the way to the gradual elimination of SVHCs in consumer articles.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12302-018-0153-1ArticlesConsumers’ awarenessHazard communicationREACH Regulation Art. 33(2)Substances of very high concern (SVHC)‘Right to know’ |
| spellingShingle | Sabrina Hartmann Ursula Klaschka Do consumers care about substances of very high concern in articles? Environmental Sciences Europe Articles Consumers’ awareness Hazard communication REACH Regulation Art. 33(2) Substances of very high concern (SVHC) ‘Right to know’ |
| title | Do consumers care about substances of very high concern in articles? |
| title_full | Do consumers care about substances of very high concern in articles? |
| title_fullStr | Do consumers care about substances of very high concern in articles? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Do consumers care about substances of very high concern in articles? |
| title_short | Do consumers care about substances of very high concern in articles? |
| title_sort | do consumers care about substances of very high concern in articles |
| topic | Articles Consumers’ awareness Hazard communication REACH Regulation Art. 33(2) Substances of very high concern (SVHC) ‘Right to know’ |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12302-018-0153-1 |
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