Small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) are increasing their demand for green products, according to the small business marketplace Alibaba.com.
The website has seen a significant increase in searches for
green products, which it says indicates that more and more
SMEs are looking to reduce their carbon emissions and environmental impacts.
Alibaba.com is a community of over 61 million users from over 240 countries where people can buy and sell a range of different products, including eco-friendly alternatives.
SMEs account for around 60 per cent of the workforce and are responsible for about 45 per cent of energy used by business in the UK, yet according to the Government only 22 per cent said that they are investing in more environmentally friendly products or services.
The new statistics from Alibaba.com indicate, however, that many SMEs are investing in green products.
Increase in searches
According to Alibaba.com, solar refrigerators saw the greatest increase in searches at 258 per cent, and solar heaters increased by 45 per cent.
Businesses were not only searching for sustainable major appliances, but other necessities, such as bags, stationery and cleaning products, which had a 224 per cent increase in searches last year.
Lighting was another major source of interest for SMEs. Searches for solar street lamps went up 58 per cent, and
energy efficient lighting almost doubled.
The increasing search for sustainable products could mean SMEs are making greater contributions to carbon dioxide reductions despite the struggling economy.
"Though many small and medium businesses may feel that the green economy
adds additional pressure to an already challenging struggle to survive –
it’s important to look to the future and recognise that those failing
to embrace sustainability will struggle to attract both investors and
customers," said Maggie Choo, General Manager EMEA, Alibaba.com.
"Penalties for not complying with carbon legislation and demand from customers for green products will rise, so being environmentally sustainable makes increasingly good business sense."
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