CONSUMERS are going green by purchasing more ethical and renewable-energy products than ever before. Leading figures have suggested that Guernsey is ahead of the UK when it comes to environmentally friendly shopping.

A report by the Co-operative Bank has found that household spending on ethical goods in the UK has almost doubled in the past five years, but that homeowners spend only £6 a year on renewable power.

Guernsey consumer affairs group chairman Roy Bisson said that while there was no comparable data for Guernsey, the difference between the two was most likely down to availability.

‘Fairtrade products are widely available in supermarkets here and consumers are choosing them because they understand the benefits they bring to the producers,’ he said. ‘It’s a reflection of the way consumers are taking responsibility for green issues.

‘The more educated they become, the more they are able to understand the very pressing issues involved.

‘Possibly, it could also be that because investigations into green- energy products such as wind turbines have found it difficult to prove an advantage, they are not so popular as a result.

‘Which? Magazine recently indicated that it takes years to get the benefits from such products and so perhaps consumers are less keen to go down that route if the benefits are not immediate.’

According to the Co-op report, the total UK ethical market is now estimated to be worth £32.3bn – up 9% on the previous year.

Fairtrade goods have increased by 46% and sustainable fish have experienced a huge surge of 224%.

Mondomundi in St Martin’s has been selling a wide range of ethical goods including solar-powered radios, torches and Fairtrade items since June last year.

Co-owner Heidi Soulsby said the business had experienced considerable growth in demand for both ethical and eco-friendly products.

‘Because Guernsey is an island and an ecosystem in its own right, people might feel closer to the issue at hand.

‘Therefore, that is reflected in the extremely active market for ethical and eco-friendly goods,’ she said.

‘I wouldn’t say ethical products are bigger sellers, but eco-friendly goods are a totally different matter, from my experience.

‘Things such as standby eliminators and degradable bin liners are extremely popular with my customers.’

The Co-op report estimated that fewer than 1% of households have invested in solar panels or other forms of micro-generation.

Last year B&Q introduced the first domestic wind turbine and solar panels, although planning restrictions have made it difficult for islanders to gain permission to integrate these into their properties.

A spokesman for the company said that eco products were increasingly important in enabling consumers to live more sustainably in their home.

‘We have a vast range of energy-saving lightbulbs and we’ve noticed an increase in demand for these as we are selling almost double the number now that we did two years ago.

‘Loft insulation is also a popular choice and we’ve sold enough to insulate more than 26,000 houses over the first few weeks of autumn this year.

‘Now customers are looking towards Christmas and our LED lights, which use 90% less energy than traditional lights, are proving popular.’