Would you pay over $5 for all-natural cleaner made with eucalyptus essence? How about a 20% premium for paper towels made from 100% unbleached recycled paper? Shoppers are often asked to pay more for environmentally friendly goods, but they might want to think twice before shelling out.Yes, going green can sometimes be better for the environment or even better for your health, but green goods also cost more - a lot more. In order to comply with the Department of Agriculture's standards for certification, producers need to use ecologically sustainable practices and materials, and that usually doesn't come cheap.
When consumers compare environmentally-friendly products to their conventional counterparts, always choosing the former can get really expensive, says Lisa Freeman, editor in chief of ShopSmart magazine.
That's a tough decision to make for a lot of cash-strapped shoppers, who are struggling to make ends meet and looking for ways to save at the grocery store. "In this economy, you have to prioritize," Freeman said.
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