A majority of Canadians believe that pest, Weed and Plant disease control products for the home are necessary and safe when used properly

Toronto, ON - A recent national poll conducted by Ipsos-Reid for the Canadian Consumer Specialty Products Association (CCSPA) and its member companies Scotts Canada, SC Johnson and Nu-Gro Corporation, shows that Canadians are of several minds on the issue of government action on pest and weed control products.

On one level, the January poll of 1000 Canadians (+/-3.1% accuracy, 19/20 times) shows that Canadians are decidedly of the view that these kinds of products are necessary and safe if used properly rather than being hazardous and unnecessary. Eighty-four percent (84%) believe that pest control products for the home are necessary and safe if used properly, while 72% say this about insect or disease control products for trees and shrubs, 71% about insect or plant disease control products for yards and gardens and 66% about weed control products for lawns, patios or driveways.

The public is split about whether the government should prohibit the sale and use of these products. A majority (53%) opposes any government action to ban the sale and use of pest control products for the home, against 45% who support this proposition. A similar split in opinion is evident when it comes to prohibiting insect or disease control products for trees and shrubs (49% oppose versus 49% support), weed control products (50% oppose versus 47% support) and pest and disease control products for the yard or garden (50% oppose versus 47% support).

Region plays a big role in opinion on government action, with Quebec and Atlantic residents being more pro-government action and residents in the rest of Canada being more anti-government action. A majority of residents in Ontario (62%), British Columbia (61%), Alberta (64%) and Saskatchewan and Manitoba (69%) oppose government prohibition of pest control products for the home, while a majority of Quebecers (65%) and Atlantic Canadians (53%) support this. Similarly, a majority of residents in Ontario (51%), Alberta (64%), British Columbia (59%), and Saskatchewan and Manitoba (60%) oppose prohibition of weed control products, while a majority of Quebecers (53%) and Atlantic Canadians (60%) support this.

As well, two-thirds of Canadians (62%) believe that they should be able to purchase pest control products for the home directly from store shelves, rather than have these products available on request from behind the counter (29%) or not available at all at retail stores (7%). Half (52%) say this about weed control products (28% say should be upon request, 16% not available at all), four-in-ten (42%) for insect and plant disease products for yards and gardens (43% upon request, 12% not available at all), and just over one-third (37%) for insect and disease control products for trees and shrubs (44% say should be upon request, 16% not available at all).

These are the findings of an Ipsos-Reid poll conducted for the Canadian Consumer Specialty Products Association (CCSPA) and its member companies Scotts Canada, SC Johnson and Nu-Gro Corporation, between January 14-17, 2002, among a randomly selected sample of 1000 adult Canadians over the age of 18. 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 Canadian population been polled. The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were statistically weighted to ensure the sample's regional and age/sex composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to Census data.

The majority of Canadians feel that pest, weed and plant disease control products are necessary and safe when used properly

When asked whether pest and weed control products for the home, trees and shrubs, yard and garden, and lawn, patio and driveway are hazardous and unnecessary or necessary and safe if used properly, the majority felt each product was necessary and safe. "Pest control products such as ant traps, bug spray and rodents for controlling pests in the home" was seen as necessary and safe by eight-in-ten (84%) Canadians (15% said these were hazardous and unnecessary). "Insect or disease control products such as insecticides or fungicides to control insects or diseases in trees or shrubs" was deemed necessary and safe if used properly by 72% of Canadians (27% said the opposite), while 71% said this about "Insect or plant disease control products such as fungicides or insecticides to control insects or diseases in yards or gardens (28% said the opposite) and 66% about "Weed killer or fertilizer with weed control to control weeds on lawns, patios or driveways" (32% said the opposite).

• Perceptions on the necessity and safety of weed and pest control products do not vary that much between those who report to have a lawn or garden (representing 62% of all respondents) and those who do not (38% of respondents). Beliefs that each product category is necessary and safe if used properly are - pest control products for the home (84% lawn and garden owners and 84% non-owners); insect or plant disease control products for yards and gardens (71% and 70% respectively); insect or plant disease control products for trees or shrubs (71% and 74% respectively), and weed control products (64% and 69% respectively).
• Men and women do not differ except on weed control products where men (71%) are more likely than women (62%) to believe that these products are necessary and safe if used properly.
• Higher income households are more likely than lower income households to believe that the products are necessary and safe when used properly. For example, 73% of $60,000/more household say this about weed control products and 75% about pest and plant disease control products for the yard or garden compared with 60% and 66% respectively of $30,000/less households.
• Residents of all provinces Ontario and West tend to be more likely to view the products as necessary and safe if used properly than Quebec and Atlantic residents. For example, while a majority of Quebecers (53%) and Atlantic Canadians (61%) do say this about weed control products, this rises to 69% of Ontarians and Albertans, 77% of British Columbians and 78% of Saskatchewan and Manitoba residents. Similarly, while two-thirds of Quebecers (64%) and Atlantic Canadians (67%) do say this about pest and plant disease control products for yards or gardens, this rises to 71% of Ontarians, 75% and Albertans, 74% of British Columbians and 81% of Saskatchewan and Manitoba residents.

Opinion is mixed on how different pest and disease control products should be made available to consumers

In the current circumstance, few Canadians believe that the pest and plant disease control products should not be available at all at retail outlets. Only 7% said this about pest control products for the home, 12% about insect or plant disease control products for yards or gardens, 16% about weed control products for lawns, patios and driveways and 16% insect or plant disease control products for trees or shrubs.

Nevertheless Canadians do distinguish somewhat between whether certain products should be available straight off the store shelves or only upon request from behind the store counter. Two-thirds (62%) think that pest control products for the home should be available for general purchase (available on store shelves versus 29% behind the counter). This drops to half (52%) who say this about weed control products (28% say should be upon request), four-in-ten (42%) for insect and plant disease products for yards and gardens (43% upon request), and just over one-third (37%) for insect and disease control products for trees and shrubs (44% say should be upon request).

• There is no significant difference of opinion between those who own a yard or garden, and those who do not on these availability questions - pest control products should be available on store shelves 64% garden/yard owners, 60% non-owners; weed control products 54% versus 50%; products for yards and gardens 42% versus 41%; and products for trees or shrubs 37% versus 38%.
• Men are somewhat more likely than women to say that the products should be available on store shelves rather than upon request or not at all. For example, 41% of men say that pest and plant disease control products for trees or shrubs should be on store shelves and 55% say this about weed control products compared with 34% and 49% respectively of women.
• Higher income households are consistently more likely than lower income households to believe that the products should be available on store shelves rather than by request or not at all. For example, 71% of $60,000/more household say this about pest control products for the home and 62% about weed control products compared with 55% and 46% respectively of $30,000/less households.
• Regionally, residents of Alberta, Saskatchewan/Manitoba and Ontario tend to be more likely than residents in Quebec, Atlantic Canada and British Columbia to say that the products should be available on store shelves. For example, whereas 35% of Quebecers, 36% of Atlantic Canadians and 34% of British Columbians say this about pest and plant disease control products for yards or gardens this rises to 45% of Ontarians, 50% of Albertans and 57% of Saskatchewan and Manitoba residents. Similarly, 38% of Quebecers, 54% of Atlantic Canadians and 50% of British Columbians say this about weed control products compared with 55% of Ontarians, 66% of Albertans, and 70% of Saskatchewan and Manitoba residents.

Canadians are mixed on attitudes toward government prohibiting the sale and use of pest and plant disease control products

While a sizeable majority of Canadians feel that pest, weed and plant disease control products are necessary and safe if used properly, Canadians are a bit more cautious when assessing government action to prohibit the sale and use of these products.

A majority (53%) oppose any government action to prohibit the sale and use of pest control products for the home, against 45% who support this proposition. A similar split in opinion is evident when it comes to prohibiting insect or disease control products for trees and shrubs (49% oppose versus 49% support), weed control products (50% oppose versus 47% support) and pest and disease control products for the yard or garden (50% oppose versus 47% support).

• Once again opinions on government prohibition do not differ that much between those who own yards and gardens and those who do not. Furthermore, men and women do not differ that much in their assessments. However, higher income households are consistently less likely than lower income households to support government action. For example, only 39% of $60,000/more household support government prohibiting the sale and use of pest control products for the home and 45% on pest and plant disease control products for trees or shrubs compared with 55% and 52% respectively of $30,000/less households.
• Regionally, Quebec and Atlantic residents tend to be more pro-government action and residents in the remaining provinces tend to be more anti-government action. While a majority of Quebecers (65%) and Atlantic Canadians (53%) support government prohibition on pest control products for the home, a majority of residents in Ontario (62%), British Columbia (61%), Alberta (64%) and Saskatchewan and Manitoba (69%) oppose this. Similarly, while a majority of Quebecers (53%) and Atlantic Canadians (60%) support prohibition on weed control products, a majority of residents in Ontario (51%), Alberta (64%), British Columbia (59%), and Saskatchewan and Manitoba (60%) oppose this.

To view the complete release and tables, please download the attached PDF files.

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For more information on this news release, please contact:
Janet Lazaris
Senior Vice-President
Ipsos-Reid
(416) 324-2900