Global survey finds broad support for taxing and labeling products using scarce natural resources
Majorities of citizens in nearly all 28 countries surveyed for the World Economic Forum are in favor of both measures
A new Ipsos survey for the World Economic Forum finds an average of 85% of adults across 28 countries agreeing that information on the use of scarce natural resources should be included on product labels. The survey also finds 71% agreeing that companies using scarce natural resources should be assessed a tax for using them, even if it significantly increases the cost consumers pay for what these companies make.
Requiring that product labels include information on the use of natural resources is supported by at least three in four adults in every one of the 28 countries.
Those who favor taxing products using scarce natural resources are a majority in every country except Japan. Pro-tax sentiment is stronger in emerging countries – most of all in China, India, and Colombia – than it is in high-income countries, including most European countries and the United States.
In aggregate at the global level, support for labeling and taxing products using scarce natural resources tends to be more prevalent among those with a higher level of education.It is remarkably consistent across gender lines and age groups.
The survey was conducted online among 19,510 adults between May 21 and June 4, 2021.
Read the World Economic Forum article
These are findings from a 28-country survey conducted by Ipsos on its Global Advisor online platform, based on 19,510 interviews of adults aged 18-74 in the U.S., Canada, Malaysia, South Africa, and Turkey, and aged 16-74 in all other countries, between May 21 and June 4, 2021.
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