Oct 14, 2008

Half of Americans Plan to Shop “Green” This Holiday Season, Survey Says

Madison, VA — Call it a “Green Christmas.” A recent national survey commissioned by Plow & Hearth, one of the country’s leading retailers, found that half of Americans plan to purchase an environmentally friendly gift this holiday season.

Among those going green this year, two-thirds (66%) say they are willing to spend between 10 and 25 percent or more of their own green on holiday green gifts.

“It’s heartening to know that even during a period of financial uncertainty, Americans will still go the extra mile to protect the environment,” said Plow & Hearth president Tim Hopkins. “Now more than ever, it is critical that we maintain our commitment to the planet. We are firm in that commitment at Plow & Hearth, a commitment that is obviously shared by our customers and millions of other Americans.”

Some people are more likely than others to go green this season:

Women (55%) are more apt than men (45%) to purchase green products.
Middle-aged (56%) and younger (54%) Americans are more likely than their older (40%) counterparts to purchase eco-friendly gifts.
Those in the West (57%) are more likely than Americans in the South (51%), Northeast (49%) and the Midwest (42%) to buy green gifts.

The decision to shop green is not always an easy one. Thirty-four percent of Americans reported that money is the biggest factor in deciding on whether to make an environmentally friendly purchase. One in five says it’s because they are stuck on old habits (21%) while others blame their lack of knowledge of options (13%), available time (10%) and convenience (7%) as reasons for not going green.

Plow & Hearth has a history of supporting environmental initiatives. The recently launched Campaign to Re-Forest America, made possible through an alliance between Plow & Hearth and the National Forest Foundation, makes it easy for customers to give back to the environment. At the end of any Plow & Hearth purchase, a tree seedling will be donated to one of three U.S. National Forests in need. To learn more about the Campaign to Re-Forest America, visit www.plowandhearth.com/trees.

About the survey
A nationally representative sample of 1,001 Americans was interviewed by telephone via Ipsos’ U.S. Telephone Express omnibus. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate within ± 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire population of adults in the U.S. been polled. The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were weighted to ensure the sample’s regional and age/gender composition reflects that of the actual U.S. population according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Ipsos is a leading global survey-based market research company, owned and managed by research professionals that helps interpret, simulate, and anticipate the needs and responses of consumers, customers, and citizens around the world. To learn more about Ipsos, visit www.ipsos.com

About Plow & Hearth
Plow & Hearth began as a small retail store in Madison, Virginia in 1980 and has grown to become a respected national catalog, retail and Internet company with more than 5 million customers. For over 25 years, the company has been a trusted source of unique, enduring products for the hearth, home, yard and garden, helping customers create an environment that is comfortable and welcoming, warm and personal. As part of their product development initiative, Plow & Hearth works with artisans and manufactures around the world to develop innovative products created from uncommon materials and crafted by hand. Special considerations is given to those products made with environmentally friendly materials as well as products that will encourage customers to be more environmentally responsible, such as composting products and energy savers. Every item they sell is backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee. The Plow & Hearth Family of Brands also includes quality toys from HearthSong and Magic Cabin, and weather instruments from Wind & Weather. Plow & Hearth is a subsidiary of 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. (NASDAQ:FLWS).

About 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc.
1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. is the world’s leading florist and gift shop. For more than 30 years, 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. has been providing customers with fresh flowers and the finest selection of plants, gift baskets, gourmet foods, confections, balloons and plush stuffed animals perfect for every occasion. One of the top 50 online retailers by Internet Retailer, as well as 2008 Laureate Honoree by the Computerworld Honors Program and the recipient of ICMI’s 2006 Global Call Center of the Year Award, 1-800-FLOWERS.COM® (1-800-356-9377 or www.1800flowers.com) offers the best of both worlds: exquisite arrangements created by some of the nation’s top floral artists and hand-delivered the same day, and spectacular flowers shipped overnight “Fresh From Our Growers®”.

About National Forest Foundation
Founded by Congress in 1991, the National Forest Foundation works to conserve, restore and enhance America’s 193-million-acre National Forest System. Through community-based strategies and public-private partnerships, the NFF enhances wildlife habitat, revitalizes wildfire-damaged landscapes, restores watersheds, and improves recreational resources for the benefit of all Americans. The NFF’s Friends of the Forest® program helps build awareness of the issues and values surrounding our National Forests through outreach and volunteer opportunities. To learn more, visit us at www.nationalforests.org.