Canadians Confident In Safety Of Household Cleaning Products

Toronto, ON - An Ipsos Reid study conducted in December of 2006 finds that most Canadians (87%) have confidence in the safety of their household cleaning products, provided they are used and stored properly. Conversely, just 13% of Canadians are not confident in the safety of these products.

Compared with the impressions of Canadians five years ago, one third (32%) report that they have more confidence in the safety of these products than they did before. Just one in ten (10%) say that they have lost some degree of confidence in the safety of their household cleaning products, while the impressions of a strong majority (57%) of Canadians have not changed over this period of time.

And how often do Canadians consult the product label prior to use? Over two-thirds (69%) of Canadians report that they read the directions on the label prior to use at least "often". Nearly half (43%) claim to `always' read the label, while one quarter (26%) `often' read the label. A similar proportion (24%), maintain that they `sometimes' read the label. Just 7% say that they `never' consult the directions on the label.

Canadians generally feel that the label provides them with the information they need, with nearly eight in ten (77%) indicating that there is either `enough' (65%) information or `more than enough' (12%) in terms of what the product is and how to use it. Under one quarter (23%) believe that there is `not enough information'.

Canadians Say Governments Doing Adequate Job Regulating these Products...

It appears that Canadians are comfortable with the amount of regulation that is happening in the area of household cleaning products, with most (79%) Canadians indicating that they either `know for sure' (42%) or `assume' (37%) that household cleaning products are regulated by the government. Conversely, only 16% of Canadians believe that these products are not regulated. Based on that knowledge, seven in ten (69%) Canadians feel that those regulations are adequate, with one in ten (10%) stating that those regulations are `more than adequate'.

These are the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of the Canadian Consumer Specialty Products Association from December 12 to December 14, 2007. For the survey, a representative randomly selected sample of 1000 adults was interviewed online. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate to within 177 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire adult population 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 that the sample's regional and age/sex composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to Census data.

For more Information on this news release, please contact:
John Wright
Senior Vice President
Ipsos Reid Public Affairs
416-324-2902
[email protected]

About Ipsos Reid
Ipsos Reid is Canada's market intelligence leader, the country's leading provider of public opinion research, and research partner for loyalty and forecasting and modelling insights. With operations in eight cities, Ipsos Reid employs more than 600 research professionals and support staff in Canada. The company has the biggest network of telephone call centres in the country, as well as the largest pre-recruited household and online panels. Ipsos Reid's marketing research and public affairs practices offer the premier suite of research vehicles in Canada, all of which provide clients with actionable and relevant information. Staffed with seasoned research consultants with extensive industry-specific backgrounds, Ipsos Reid offers syndicated information or custom solutions across key sectors of the Canadian economy, including consumer packaged goods, financial services, automotive, retail, and technology & telecommunications. Ipsos Reid is an Ipsos company, a leading global survey-based market research group.

To learn more, please visit www.ipsos.ca.

Ipsos
Ipsos is a leading global survey-based market research company, owned and managed by research professionals. Ipsos helps interpret, simulate, and anticipate the needs and responses of consumers, customers, and citizens around the world.

Member companies assess market potential and interpret market trends. They develop and build brands. They help clients build long-term relationships with their customers. They test advertising and study audience responses to various media. They measure public opinion around the globe.

Ipsos member companies offer expertise in advertising, customer loyalty, marketing, media, and public affairs research, as well as forecasting, modeling, and consulting. Ipsos has a full line of custom, syndicated, omnibus, panel, and online research products and services, guided by industry experts and bolstered by advanced analytics and methodologies. The company was founded in 1975 and has been publicly traded since 1999. In 2006, Ipsos generated global revenues of 857.1 million euros ($1.1 billion USD).

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