Despite difficult financial times, and the exodus to value brands, consumers continue to value the role played by external accreditation when they buy household cleaning materials, according to research undertaken by the Royal Society for Public Health.

Consumers continue to be sceptical about the hygiene benefits of anti-bacterial or germ-killing products, and fewer than half of them believe that these products are more effective than other cleaners. However, if the product has been endorsed by a public health organisation this rises to almost 60%, and 48% of consumers would be more likely to buy a cleaning product if it had this endorsement.

The study amongst a representative sample of 2000 consumers, undertaken by research specialists Marketing Sciences, reveals that even in these financially challenging times, consumers are using endorsement by trusted third parties to differentiate between products and guide their purchasing decisions.

Professor Richard Parish, chief executive of the Royal Society for Public Health, comments “This is the second year we have run this study, and it shows that there is remarkable consistency amongst consumers when it comes to their confidence in hygiene claims. This study demonstrates how much consumers value this type of independent validation in an area of expenditure that is so crucial to family health.”