Specialist retailers’ questionnaire: textile quality marks

  Specialist retailers’ questionnaire: textile quality marks Jörg Meding, BBE RETAIL EXPERTS

  20 February 2008 By order of the German Certification Centre Oeko-Tex

  KÖLN | HAMBURG | BERLIN | LEIPZIG |

TASK, METHODOLOGY

1 In January 2008, the BBE Retail Experts Unternehmensberatung GmbH & Co. KG received

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  instructions from the German certification centre Oeko-Tex GmbH to carry out a market research survey. The aim of the survey was to find out to what extent the textile and quality marks that are

  ■ available on the market are well-known and/or widespread in the clothing and textiles sector.

  The idea was also to find out to what extent certain textile quality marks have been accepted and whether they play a significant role for the target group of specialist retailers in their day-to-day selling and advising. The retailers’ questionnaire finished with some questions about how they obtained information

  ■ and how well-informed this target group of retailers is.

  To obtain the required information, a pre-prepared questionnaire was used to conduct 205

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  interviews with various groups of visitors to the Düsseldorf CPD show – an international trade fair for womenswear and accessories. The interviews took place from 10 –12.2.2008 and were conducted by two interviewers in the entrance area to the trade fair. The questionnaire consisted of a total of seven questions on the subject (closed and open) and

  ■ four questions for the statistics.

  The people questioned were very willing to provide information and only a very few failed to

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  complete the interview. A total of 205 completed interviews were taken into account in the evaluation which followed.

  RESULTS OF THE RETAILERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE

IMPORTANT ISSUES WHEN BUYING CLOTHING AND TEXTILES

  Source: BBE RETAIL EXPERTS; scale from 1=unimportant to 5=very important

  2

  4.5

  4.4

  4.3

  4.2

  4.2

  4.0

  3.9

  3.6

  3.4

  3.0 _{1 2 3 4 5} Product quality

  Skin-friendliness Fashionable appearance Textiles tested for harmful substances Social considerations Environmentally-friendly manufacturing Pricing High proportion of natural fibres Functional textiles Country of origin

  RESULTS OF THE RETAILERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE

2 IMPORTANT ISSUES WHEN BUYING CLOTHING AND TEXTILES

  Among the most important issues when buying clothing and textiles are the criteria of product

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  quality, skin-friendliness, fashionable appearance, tests for harmful substances and social considerations. On a scale from 5=very important to 1=not important, these factors were rated between 4.5 and

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  4.2. While the question of skin-friendliness and whether textiles have been tested for harmful substances reflect a sensitivity among users and wearers of textiles that has been heightened for some time, the critical concern about the conditions behind the manufacturing process (child labour, starvation wages, working conditions) is also becoming an important subject which must be taken into account by players in the market. At the same time, the country of origin is of barely any importance (3.0) – it is only important that the manufacturing conditions are right.

  Environmentally-friendly production is also ranked higher, at 4,0, than the price factor (3,9).

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  In addition to the factors referred to above, those questioned also mentioned the following issues

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  which were important to them when buying: stylish design/product originality, a good fit, expert advice/confidence in the retailer, easy-care/comfortable material and appropriate discounts for _{Quelle: BBE RETAIL EXPERTS} bulk buying.

  RESULTS OF THE RETAILERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE

2 IMPORTANT ISSUES WHEN BUYING CLOTHING AND TEXTILES

  1,3 Country of original

  3,0 2,3 Functional textiles

  3,4 2,1 High proportion of natural fibres

  3,6 4,3 Pricing

  3,9 Consumer

  2,3 Environmentally-friendly manufacturing

  4,0 Trade

  2,8 Textes tested for harmful substances

  4,2 3,1 Fashionable appearance

  4,3 4,0 Skin-friendliness

  4,4 4,5 Product quality

  4,5 _{1=not important - 5=very important} 0,0 0,5 1,0 1,5 2,0 2,5 3,0 3,5 4,0 4,5 5,0 _{Source Trade: BBE RETAIL EXPERTS, 2008, n=205} Source Consumers: GfK Gruppe, 2006, n=1.046

  RESULTS OF THE RETAILERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE

2 IMPORTANT ISSUES WHEN BUYING CLOTHING AND TEXTILES

  Among the most important issues when buying clothing and textiles are the criteria of product

  ■

  quality, skin-friendliness, fashionable appearance, tests for harmful substances and social considerations. On a scale from 5=very important to 1=not important, these factors were rated between 4.5 and

  ■

  4.2. While the question of skin-friendliness and whether textiles have been tested for harmful substances reflect a sensitivity among users and wearers of textiles that has been heightened for some time, the critical concern about the conditions behind the manufacturing process (child labour, starvation wages, working conditions) is also becoming an important subject which must be taken into account by players in the market. At the same time, the country of origin is of barely any importance (3.0) – it is only important that the manufacturing conditions are right.

  Environmentally-friendly production is also ranked higher, at 4,0, than the price factor (3,9).

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  In addition to the factors referred to above, those questioned also mentioned the following issues

  ■

  which were important to them when buying: stylish design/product originality, a good fit, expert advice/confidence in the retailer, easy-care/comfortable material and appropriate discounts for _{Quelle: BBE RETAIL EXPERTS} bulk buying.

  RESULTS OF THE RETAILERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE

2 PROMPTED RECOGNITION AND THE USE OF TEXTILE QUALITY MARKS 79%

  Oeko-Tex Standard 100

  51% 65%

  Blue Angel

  21% 22%

  Toxproof

  5% Recognition Use

  16%

  LGA tested for toxins

  6% 11%

  EU flower

  2% 9%

  Hautsache skin compatibility

  4% 6%

  Best & Better

  2% 4%

  Blue sign

  2% _{Source: BBE RETAIL EXPERTS} 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

  RESULTS OF THE RETAILERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE

2 PROMPTED RECOGNITION AND THE USE OF TEXTILE QUALITY MARKS

  The prompted questions about the level of recognition of a total of eight textile quality marks

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  reveal a very varied picture: the Oeko-Tex Standard 100 comes off best with a recognition rate of 79% (even 87% among managing directors and heads of department). Of those 79% of those questioned who know of the label, a pleasing 64% also use it in their own range. No significant differences can be identified in relation to the various turnover categories to which those questioned assigned themselves. The level of recognition is also very satisfactory in all the different types of retailing, the specialist independent clothing retailer sector (FEH), department stores and mail-order business, even though there is still room for expansion.

  Level of recognition of Oeko-Tex Marketing channel Position Turnover category

  

Specialist Department Mail order Managing Heads of Sales Up to Up to Up to Up to over

Buyers

clothing stores businesses directors department staff 1 million € 5million € 25million € 50mllion € 50 million €

retailers

  

79% 86% 85% 87% 87% 68% 67% 79% 69% 83% 70% 100%

Quelle: BBE RETAIL EXPERTS

  RESULTS OF THE RETAILERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE

2 PROMPTED RECOGNITION OF TEXTILE QUALITY MARKS 1% Bluesign 4% 0% Best & Better 6%

  Consumers Hautsache 3% 9% Körperverträglich

  Trade 1% EU-Blume 11% 5% Schadstoffgeprüft LGA 16% 5% Toxproof 22% 49% Der Blaue Engel

  65% 46% Öko-Tex Standard 100 79% _{Source Trade: BBE RETAIL EXPERTS, 2008, n=205 Source Consumers: GfK Gruppe, 2006, n=1.046} 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

  RESULTS OF THE RETAILERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE

2 PROMPTED RECOGNITION AND THE USE OF TEXTILE QUALITY MARKS

  In second place came the “Blue Angel”, which 65% of those questioned knew about – but of

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  those, only 31% used it. The Blue Angel dates back 30 years, the oldest environmental quality mark in the world, and used by about 10,000 products and services, but it still did not seem to be particularly well known among the people questioned at the CPD in Düsseldorf. According to the Handelsblatt on 19.2.2008 “…80 per cent of Germans are familiar with the round, blue symbol, and 38 per cent take it into account when buying. It therefore continues to exert quite a sales-promoting effect in the retail trade.” Next came the quality marks “Toxproof” (recognition rate 22%), “LGA tested for toxins” (16%)

  ■ and the “EU flower”(11%).

  Quelle: BBE RETAIL EXPERTS

  RESULTS OF THE RETAILERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE

2 REFERENCE TO TEXTILE QUALITY MARKS WHEN ADVISING CUSTOMERS

  Always Never 12% 22% Often/regularly 35% Occasionally/rarely _{Quelle: BBE RETAIL EXPERTS} 31%

  RESULTS OF THE RETAILERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE

2 REFERENCE TO TEXTILE QUALITY MARKS WHEN ADVISING CUSTOMERS

  The question “To what extent do you refer to textile quality marks when advising customers?”

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  also reveals room for improvement, since 22% of those questioned said that they never referred to the various textile quality marks when advising customers, and a further 31% only did it occasionally or rarely. Especially sales staff, who after all have the most direct contact with end users, refer to the

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  quality marks particularly rarely. Perhaps they assume that the labels are self-explanatory and that the user does not require any further explanation.

  Reference to textile quality marks (totals for “always” and “often/regularly") Marketing channel Position Turnover category

  Specialist Department Mail order Managing Heads of Sales Up to Up to Up to Up to over Buyers clothing stores businesses director department staff 1million € 5million € 25million € 50million € 50million € retailers

  46% 67% 39% 48% 40% 55% 40% 42% 48% 67% 60% 72% Quelle: BBE RETAIL EXPERTS

  RESULTS OF THE RETAILERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE

2 Quelle: BBE RETAIL EXPERTS

  

IMPORTANCE OF HAVING THE QUALITY MARK ENDORSEMENT ON THE

PRODUCT ITSELF

  Less important 27% Unimportant 12% Important 41% Very important 20%

  RESULTS OF THE RETAILERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE

2 IMPORTANCE OF HAVING THE QUALITY MARK ENDORSEMENT ON THE PRODUCT ITSELF

  It was pleasing to note that nearly 2/3 of those questioned thought that it was (very) important

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  that products should be endorsed with textile quality marks. This gives sales staff and consumers information about the product that can be addressed and explained during sales talks. However, not all sales staff appeared to be aware of this – how else can the fact be explained that 47% of them say that endorsing the product itself is not particularly important.

  Companies with a high volume of sales (turnover categories over 5 million euros) attach a higher

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  importance to endorsement on the product. It is to be supposed that in department stores, where there are fewer staff to give advice, product labelling is very important for informing the consumer, reducing the need for anything to be explained about the articles.

  Textile quality marks on the product itself (totals for “very important" and “important") Marketing channel Position Turnover category

  Specialist Department Mail order Managing Heads of Sales Up to Up to Up to Up to over Buyers clothing stores businesses directors department staff 1million € 5million € 25 million € 50 million € 50 million € retailers _{Source: BBE RETAIL EXPERTS} 61% 81% 46% 58% 53% 72% 50% 58% 55% 67% 70% 79%

  RESULTS OF THE RETAILERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE

2 SHOULD MORE PRODUCTS BE LABELLED AS BEING CERTIFICATED?

  No 28% Yes 72%

  Source: BBE RETAIL EXPERTS

  RESULTS OF THE RETAILERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE

2 SHOULD MORE PRODUCTS BE LABELLED AS BEING CERTIFICATED?

  Even though some of the results presented so far show room for improvement, the answers to

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  the question “Do you think more products and articles should be labelled as being certificated?” were satisfactory. 72% of those questioned would like to seem more product endorsement. This applies particularly to the large companies with a higher turnover (key feature for them: products explain themselves, as there are fewer resources to give advice) and across all categories of people questioned, from the sales staff to the senior management. However, care should be taken that the consumer is not overwhelmed and does not feel more

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  confused because of the labels than they did before buying. Including too many product parameters may be counter-productive here.

  Should more products be labelled as being certificated? (Proportion of yes answers) Marketing channel Position Turnover category

  Specialist Department Mail-order Managing Heads of Sales Up to Up to Up to Up to over Buyers clothing stores business director department staff 1million € 5 million € 25million € 50million € 50 million € retailers _{Source: BBE RETAIL EXPERTS} 67% 91% 69% 67% 80% 66% 77% 66% 69% 83% 80% 93%

  RESULTS OF THE RETAILERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE

2 SOURCES OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE VARIOUS TEXTILE QUALITY MARKS

  Internet

  53% 34%

  Talking to suppliers

  28%

  Specialist journals/magazines Mailings from manufacturers

  17%

  or buying associations

  11%

  Visiting trade fairs Brochures

  10%

  Buying associations

  9%

  Product training sessions 6% _Source: 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

BBE RETAIL EXPERTS

  RESULTS OF THE RETAILERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE

2 SOURCES OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE VARIOUS TEXTILE QUALITY MARKS

  The ways of obtaining information about textile quality marks are very diverse. It was therefore

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  worth asking where the people questioned obtained their detailed information about product features and the particular characteristics of the various quality marks. These findings can be used to give the certification centre useful advice about targeted marketing. The main source of information is the Internet. 53% of those questioned said it was their main

  ■ source of information.

  Only in second place, with a proportion of 34%, came talks with suppliers – and this was

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  particularly the managing directors and heads of department who were questioned, and the companies with a higher turnover. Mailings from manufacturers or buying associations were also mentioned by nearly one in five of the people questioned, underlining the importance of suppliers, even though this now faces “competition” or “supplementing” by the Internet.

  Nor should “specialist journals/magazines” be underestimated as a source of information – 28%

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  of those questioned said of this medium that they turned to it when they had the necessary time and peace and quiet. Visits to trade fairs also represent an important source of information, especially for the buyers

  ■ _{Souce: BBE RETAIL EXPERTS} we questioned.

  RESULTS OF THE RETAILERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE

SPECIFIC LEVEL OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE OEKO-TEX STANDARD

100 (“CONFIDENCE IN TEXTILES” LABEL)

2 Source: BBE RETAIL EXPERTS

  Would like more detailed information 35% Am sufficiently well-informed 37% No interest in information 28%

  RESULTS OF THE RETAILERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE

2 SPECIFIC LEVEL OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 (“CONFIDENCE IN TEXTILES” LABEL)

  While it did appear that the level of recognition of the Oeko-Tex Standard 100 was very

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  satisfactory compared with other quality marks, nevertheless only about a good third of those questioned felt that they were fully and adequately informed about this textile quality mark. Among the most well-informed groups were the heads of department and the buyers, and companies with annual sales over 5 million euros.

  A further third of those interviewed would like to have more extensive information. This was

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  particularly true of the sales staff, who, as mentioned before, were less active in referring to the quality marks during their sales talk. About 28% of the visitors to the show who were questioned were not interested in any

  ■ information.

  There were a few comments made in connection with this question, offering criticism or

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  suggestions for improvements : more information for customers, make the quality mark more popular, keep to strict test conditions, too much diversity in quality marks, too much opportunity _{Source: BBE RETAIL EXPERTS} for fraud.

  RESULTS OF THE RETAILERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE

2 COMPOSITION OF THOSE QUESTIONED

  The following pages show the structural composition of the 205 people we interviewed. We

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  managed to cover a wide range of people in the categories of type of visitor to the show, type of retailing, number of employees and turnover category, resulting in a meaningful representation of ideas on the subject of textile quality marks.

  Source: BBE RETAIL EXPERTS

  RESULTS OF THE RETAILERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE COMPOSITION OF THOSE QUESTIONED: TYPE OF VISITOR TO TRADE FAIR

2 Source: BBE RETAIL EXPERTS

  Other 6% Retailer 3% Interested visitor 3% Teacher at a fashion college 3% Sales staff 15% Head of department 7% Designer, design student 7% Buyer 23% Company owner manager 33%

  RESULTS OF THE RETAILERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE

2 COMPOSITION OF THOSE QUESTIONED: TYPE OF RETAILER

  Other specialist retailers Wholesale, Mail-order business 4% import/export Sports retailers 6% Department store 4% 1% Discount stores 10% 1% Manufacturer e-commerce 10%

  1% Other 14% Specialist clothing retailer _{Source: BBE RETAIL EXPERTS} 46%

  RESULTS OF THE RETAILERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE

2 COMPOSITION OF THOSE QUESTIONED: NO. OF EMPLOYEES 26%

  1 - 2 employees

  27%

  3 - 10 employees

  25%

  11 - 50 employees

  22%

  More than 50 employees _{0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%}

  Source: BBE RETAIL EXPERTS

  RESULTS OF THE RETAILERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE

2 COMPOSITION OF THOSE QUESTIONED: TURNOVER CATEGORIES

  

Up to 50 million €

Up to 25 million € Over 50 million € 5% 9% 7% Didn’t say Up to 5 million €

  7% 14% Up to 1 million € _{Source: BBE RETAIL EXPERTS}

  58%