Boost sales by touting sustainaility and social issues – that’s the message reported by KPMG LLP, the audit, tax and advisory firm that just completed a new survey. The survey was taken from 1,000 adults, 18 years of age and older, taken from Nov. 7 th – Nov. 10th, 2013.

Retailers and manufacturers courting Gen X and Y shoppers should introduce more transparency into their product labels and identify fair trade, conflict-free and environmentally friendly practices, KPMG says.

Nearly 70% of consumers under age 30 consider social issues – including human rights and fair trade – before making a purchase. This outpaces the less than 50 percent of consumers overall who feel the same way.

The survey also reveals that younger consumers are focused more on social issues when considering big ticket purchases such as automobiles, computers, consumer electronics and jewelry versus everyday items such as gasoline, toys and food.

Thirty-four percent of consumers under 30 always or frequently consider social issues when buying everyday goods versus 41 percent when buying big ticket items.

Claiming Conflict-Free Status

Products such as consumer electronics, autos and jewelry can be potentially sourced from or may contain components with “conflict minerals,” including tin, tantalum, tungsten (3T’s) and gold.

Conflict minerals are the focus of a section of the Dodd Frank Act that seeks to curb the funding of militias in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and adjacent countries that commit human rights violations and often benefit financially from mines producing these minerals.

Now, for the first time, under the Dodd Frank Act, companies must describe the status of their products in a new form, Form SD (specialized disclosures) as one of the following:DRC conflict free; Not DRC conflict free; or Undeterminable – a status that a large company can use for the first two years, and a small company can use for four years.

Jim Low, Audit Partner, KPMG LLP, says that consumer awareness of the Dodd Frank Act, especially among Gen X and Gen Y, will grow in 2014.

Industry giants in the consumer electronics and other industries raced ahead of the Conflict Minerals legislation and worked with Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and independent auditors to set up a framework to comply with this rule, some stressing a desire to go beyond compliance and become conflict-free by the end of 2013,” said Low.

Low continues, “Additionally, celebrities and college campuses around the nation are organizing awareness and conflict-free campaigns. Based on our survey results, companies who have a head start on this issue are in a position to quickly carve out a competitive advantage with consumers. What’s more, greater supply chain transparency can help companies develop a more resilient and efficient supply chain.”

More information about conflict minerals and the Dodd Frank legislation can be found at KPMG’s Conflict Minerals website.