New research sponsored by the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) finds that although environmental considerations are on consumers’ minds, they’re not as frequently found in consumers’ shopping carts. In this study, just over half (54%) of shoppers said they actively considered environmental sustainability in their buying decisions, while a much smaller proportion (22%) actually bought green products on their most recent shopping trip (the same day the survey was taken).

For companies that market products featuring healthy and wholesome ingredients, sometimes a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. In these situations, the right messaging can make all the difference in a consumer’s decision to buy or not. Consumers aren’t always in the know, of course, and the presentation of facts without appropriate context can lead to misconceptions.

Results from a recent Harris Interactive poll show that environmental sustainability still weighs heavily on people’s minds, but recently consumers have engaged in fewer practices to address these issues. Last year, over half (53%) of U.S. adults said they had done something to make their lifestyle more environmentally sustainable, while 25% had not and 22% weren’t sure. However, this year just below half (48%) said they had done something to make their lifestyle more environmentally sustainable, while 27% had not and 26% were not sure.

A term virtually unknown to the average consumer just weeks ago, the swine flu may be starting to subside, but diseases like it threaten to become global pandemics. Consumers quickly began associating the virus with pork products, which has the pig farming industry playing defense. Indeed, the swine flu virus could have an enormous impact on this sector, as well as the markets for grain and oilseed that are main components used in animal feed.