Consumers in the old industrial regions of Lancashire and the Midlands are less influenced by environmental and ethical concerns than consumers in any other region. There are significant regional variations which indicate different attitudes to ethical issues in various regions. This suggests a greater sensitivity to issues of employment and exploitation in this region which has traditionally had a high proportion of rural workers. A fall in individual donations to charities has been interpreted by many organisations as meaning that British consumers are less ethical or caring than they used to be. Market Assessment analysis shows that a fall in giving is directly related to perceptions of economic security.
Young people are consistently less responsive because they now have less PDI than older adults.
They do, however, respond to media led campaigns and a more 'corporate' approach. The Chancellor's Budget 2000 package of tax incentives is set to raise levels of giving to charities. The package has provided a boost for charities' income, which could provide a means for charities to raise an extra 400m a year. Market Assessment shows that awareness of ethical issues in relation to the service issues is still low in comparison to awareness of issues such as cosmetic animal testing. In the case of the banking industry, increased legislation is expected to have a greater effect in the next decade, particularly if Britain moves into Euroland.