IPSOS CONSUMER RESEARCH FOR FSC
2022
COUNTRY REPORT JAPANIPSOS Project 22-026181-01

CONTENTS
Topic

1 Executive Summary
2 Methodology
3 Context
4 Awareness of FSC
5 FSC KPIs
6 FSC Associations
7 Brand Trust Influence
8 Appendix: Full Wording
2

Page
4
5-6

7-8
9
10
11-12
13
14-15

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Executive Summary
Consumer Context

FSC & Comparators

Concerns and Attitudes

Awareness and Understanding

Economic hardship is the #1 worry in Japan and wars, conflicts,
and terrorism are #2. Disease and health issues come third;
climate change follows on rank 4. The other global issues areseen as comparatively less alarming in Japan.

When asked an open-ended question to recall a certification seen on paper/ wooden products, 1
percent of consumers in Japan spontaneously mention FSC.

On forestry issues specifically, the impact on climate change
from loss of forests is deemed the most important issue. Withdroughts & floods caused by deforestation, and deforestation
more generally, which is most often on rank 1 of concerns, they
make up the top three.
Purchasing Intent

Nearly half of Japanese consumers prefer to choose productsthat do not harm plants and animals. Two out of five prefer tochoose products that do not contribute to climate change.
Nearly as many expect companies to ensure that the wood/
paper products and packaging they sell are not contributing to
deforestation.

4

Regarding prompted awareness, the by far best-known eco-label is EcoMark Japan. FSC comes
third, after Japanese Agricultural Organic Standard.
Every seventh Japanese sees the FSC label on products at least several times a month.

Slightly more than a third of Japanese consumers have a good understanding of what the FSC label
stands for. Among the Recognizers of FSC, more than half have a good understanding.
FSC KPIs
EcoMark Japan is by far the most motivating eco-label. FSC comes fourth. Nearly one out of fiveconsumers in Japan is motivated to purchase an FSC labelled product.
A third of the Japanese who have seen the FSC label say they would (definitely or probably) choose
an FSC-certified product instead of an equivalent non-certified product.
Building Trust
The influence on the trust in a brand if it promoted FSC or offered FSC-certified products is claimed
to be very positive or positive by more than half of Japanese consumers. Amongst the Recognizers
of FSC, it is seven out of ten.

Methodology
Methodology
The IPSOS Global Consumer Research for FSC survey was conducted online using IPSOS’ own and partner research panels to recruit
respondents in 33 countries. Fieldwork was conducted in October and November 2022.
The total sample size for each of the 33 markets, including Japan, is n=800 (except for US with n=1,200; 6 regions* with n=200 each),and the total sample size across the 33 markets is n=26,800.
Samples were designed to be nationally representative as far as realistically possible using online panels. Online research can only reachconsumers who are online. For some countries this means that instead of following national representation we follow online
representation resulting in a more urban, more educated, and/ or more affluent sample than the general population. The survey results
for these countries should be viewed as reflecting the views of the more “connected” segment of these populations.

5*West Coast, Rocky Mountains, Midwest, Northeast, Southwest, Southeast

Methodology – Net Recommendation Score (NRS)
Methodology – How we measure the Net Recommendation Score (NRS)The Net Recommendation Score in the FSC Consumer Insights Study is based on the answer to a single question, using a scale from one
to five plus the option “not sure”:“When you think of FSC, how likely are you to do the following? Recommend FSC-certified products to friends and family”
1.
Definitely wouldn´t2.
Probably wouldn´t

3.
Maybe

4.
Probably would

Detractors

Passives
NRS= % of Recommenders -% of Detractors(5.)(1.-2.)

5.
Definitely would99.
Not sure

Recommender

Passives

Subtracting the percentage of Detractors form the percentage of Recommenders yields the Net Recommendation Score. The Score canrange from -100 (if every respondent is a Detractor) to +100 (if every respondent is a Recommender).
Remark: This question was asked to respondents who have seen the FSC logo often or occasionally.
6

Context: Importance of Issues
Economic hardship is the #1 worry in Japan and wars, conflicts, and terrorism are #2. Disease and health issues
come third. The top forestry issue for Japanese consumers is the impact on climate change from loss of forests.
Important Global Issues

Important Forestry Issues

Proportion selecting each issue in top 3 most worrying issues

Proportion selecting each issue in top 3 most worrying issues

Economic hardship

53%

Wars, conflicts, terrorism

50%

Disease/health issues

45%

CLIMATE CHANGE

29%

Pollution

Lack of food13%

Unemployment

13%

Inequality

7

14%

9%

Loss of plants and animal
species

4%

Deforestation

3%

Q1. To start with, which of the following issues worry you the most?
Note: light green bars are the most relevant issues for FSC

Impact on climate change from loss of forests

48%

Droughts & floods caused by deforestation

43%

Deforestation

42%

Loss of plant and animal species

29%

Loss/destruction of tropical rainforests

25%

Threats to access of forest-sourced clean water

23%

Wildfires

21%

Soil damage and land degradation

19%

Loss of natural wilderness

14%

Illegal logging of wood

13%

Threats to Indigenous peoples

8%

Loss of access to forests for people to enjoy

8%

Working conditions for workers in forestry

7%

Q11. Which of these potential issues worries you the most?
.

Most often on rank 1:
Deforestation

Context: Intentions
Nearly half of Japanese consumers prefer to choose products that do not harm plants and animals; 2 out of 5
products that do not contribute to climate change.
Purchasing Intent
Describes opinion, Top 3 on a 7-pt scale

Prefer to choose products that don’t damage plants and animals

849%

Prefer to choose products that don’t contribute to climate change

42%

Expect companies to ensure no contribution to deforestation

38%

Can protect forests by buying products certified by an independent
organization

30%

Try to buy products packaged with renewable materials e.g., paper

30%

Sustainability information on products should be certified by anindependent organization

27%

Willing to purchase tropical wood if responsibly sourced

25%

Care about where the wood source in products/packaging

21%

Willing to pay more for a product from smallholder forest
owners/producers

18%

Q10. How well does each of the following statements describe your opinion?
.

Awareness of FSC
The unprompted awareness of FSC is at 1%. Prompted, the by far best-known eco-label is EcoMark Japan. FSC
comes third, after Japanese Agricultural Organic Standard.
Unprompted AwarenessOpen-ended responses

1% recall FSC top-of-mind this year
Q2. Please name or describe any logos or labels like this that you have seen on wood or paper
products/packaging.

Prompted Awareness
Yes, seen often

Frequency of contact with FSC
Yes, seen occasionally

EcoMark Japan

34%

Severaltimes
a weekJapanese Agricultural Organic Standard

8% 27%

FSC

6% 19%

Rainforest Alliance Certified

5% 17%

Thinned Wood Mark

3% 16%

5% 9%

Fairtrade

4% 13%

1%MSC

4% 11%

PEFC

3% 8%

Sustainable Green Ecosystem Council

2%8%

Q3. Have you ever seen the following logos or labels?
9

33%

Every
day

Severaltimes
a monthSeveraltimes
a yearOncea yearLess thanonce a year

14%

9% 2% 8%Q7. How often do you see the FSC label on products?

68%

Never
seen

FSC KPIs
EcoMark Japan is by far the most motivating eco-label. FSC comes fourth. Nearly one out of five Japanese
consumers is motivated to purchase an FSC labelled product.
Motivation
to Purchase
Top 3 on a
7-pt scale

35%

20%

20%

18%

18%

16%

16%

14%

NRS*
-33

12%

*Description on slide 6

Q4. Imagine you saw the following labels on a product. To what extent would each label motivate you to purchase that product?

Trust in FSC
Completeconfidence

Advocacy and Purchase Behaviour
A lot ofconfidence
Top2
Boxes

Certification labels 11%
Companies make/ sell wood/
paper products/ packaging

Moderateconfidence

A little
confidenceNo
confidence

Definitely
would

2% 9%

41%

39%

43%

10%

1%7%

Environmental charities/ NGOs

8%

2% 6%

36%

42%

14%

FSC

8%

2%6%

39%

41%

12%

6%

1%5%

10

Maybe

Probably
wouldn’t

Definitely
wouldn’t

24%

33%

Top2
Boxes

9%

Government

Probably
would

29%

40%

44%

Recommend FSC-certified
24% 4%
products to friends and family

21%

4%

9%

22%

Q8. How much confidence do you have in each of the following types of organizations to protect
forests?

Choose an FSC- certified productinstead of an equivalent non- 33% 4%
certified productPay more for a product with the
FSC certification, compared to an
24% 3%
equivalent
product without the certification

29%

21%

34%

29%

Q6. When you think of FSC, how likely are you to do the following?
Base: All who have seen the FSC logo very often or occasionally, n=204

17% 3%

31%

3%

FSC Associations
Slightly more than a third of Japanese consumers have a good understanding about what the FSC label stands
for. Among the Recognizers of FSC, more than half have a good understanding.
Association with FSC Label
Open-ended responses

Good understanding
Forest Stewardship Council(written fully)
Sustainable forestry (preserving/protecting/ replenishing forests)
General environmentally friendly/
green answer
Forest safety

20%

22%

36%

52%
18%
32%
8%
2% 0%
3%
8%

Limited/ no understanding
Trees/ forests/ wood(no sustainability mention)
Recycled/ recyclable
Organic/ natural
Product uses no/ less trees
Other incorrect response
Don’t know/ means nothing

68%

5%

14%

54%

48%
27%

Total
11

8%
3% 0%

Recognizers(seen often & occasionally)

Q5. Imagine you saw this image while shopping. What does it mean to you?
Note: Each respondent usually gives more than one answer to an open question. This is the reason why the answers do not add u p to 100 per cent.
Base: Total Sample, n=800; Recognizers of FSC (seen often & seen occasionally, according to Q3), n=204

FSC Associations
Association with FSC Label – Quotes “good understanding”
Open-ended responses„It means that we use wood that we havepermission to cut down, so you can use itwith peace of mind.”„I think it's a product that should be supported
because it's proof that the forest is being
protected while climate change is becoming amajor social issue.“„I think it is a mark to protect nature(trees), etc. If you buy a product withthis mark, you have contributed to thenatural environment .... I think it will
be like that.”

Q5. Imagine you saw this image while shopping. What does it mean to you?
12

Good
understanding„I think it is a mark to protect nature (trees),
etc. If you buy a product with this mark, youwill feel like you have contributed to thenatural environment .... I think it will besomething like.“„Products from companies that focus onforest protection activities to prevent
desertification. You should choose productswith this mark as much as possible.”Brand Trust Influence
The influence on the trust in a brand if it promoted FSC or offered FSC-certified products is claimed to be very
positive or positive by more than half of Japanese consumers. Amongst the Recognizers of FSC, it is 7 out of 10.
Brand Trust Influence from FSC
Very positive
influence

Positive
influenceNo
influence

Negative
influence

Very negative
influence

51%

Total

Recognizers(seen often & occasionally)

5%

1%

46%

48%

60%

9%

69%

13

Q9. FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certifies a number of brands.
If you learned that a brand promoted FSC or offered FSC-certified products, what influence would it have on your trust in that brand?
Base: Total Sample, n=800; Recognizers of FSC (seen often & seen occasionally, according to Q3), n=204

1%
0%

29%

2%
0%

2%

Appendix: Full Wording
Xxxxx
xxxxx
Purchasing Intent (Q10)
Care about where the wood source in products/packaging

Sustainability info on products should be certified by an independent org
Willing to pay more for a product from smallholder forest owners/producers
Expect companies to ensure no contribution to deforestation
Willing to purchase tropical wood if responsibly sourced

Can protect forests by buying products certified by an independent org
Try to buy products packaged with renewable materials e.g. paper

Full wording
When choosing products made of wood or paper, I care about where thewood comes from
Information about sustainability on products should be certified by anindependent organization
I am willing to pay more for a product if it comes from smallholder forest
owners and producers
I expect companies to ensure that the wood/paper products and packaging
they sell are not contributing to deforestation
I am willing to purchase tropical wood furniture/materials if it comes from a
responsible source
I can help to protect the forests by purchasing products that have beencertified by an independent organization
I try to buy products packaged with renewable materials such as paper
instead of plastic

Prefer to choose products that don’t contribute to climate change

I prefer to choose products that don’t contribute to climate change

Prefer to choose products that don’t harm plants and animals

I prefer to choose products that do not harm plants and animals

14

Appendix: Full Wording
Important Forestry Issues (Q11)

Full wording

Impact on climate change from loss of forests

The impact on climate change from loss of forests

Loss of plant and animal species

Loss of plant and animal species

Illegal logging of wood

Illegal logging of wood

Loss of natural wilderness

Loss of natural wilderness

Soil damage and land degradation

Soil damage and land degradation

Deforestation

Deforestation

WildfiresWildfires

Droughts & floods caused by deforestation

Droughts and floods caused by disruption to forests

Threats to access of forest-sourced clean water

Threats to access to clean water that comes from forests

Threats to Indigenous peoples

Threats to Indigenous peoples who live in forests around the world

Loss/destruction of tropical rainforests

Loss/destruction of tropical rainforests

Loss of access to forests for people to enjoy

Loss of access to forests for people to enjoy

Working conditions for workers in forestry

Working conditions for workers in the forestry industry

15

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