Copper Shines in Consumer Survey
July 2008
Despite price, supply and competitive pressures, people continue to value copper for its appearance, durability, recyclability and health benefits.
Copper tub, Copper Falls private residence, Western Pennsylvania
High-resolution version of this photo.
You’re smart. You’re educated. You get your news from a variety of sources. So how’s your “Copper IQ”?
Did you know, for example, that when used for frequently touched objects like doorknobs, railings and work surfaces, uncoated copper kills certain dangerous germs and bacteria, including the “superbug” MRSA?
Or that when used in heating and air conditioning systems, copper may improve indoor air quality, and it reduces energy consumption in appliance motors and electrical generators?
Are you aware that copper is a totally recyclable material, and copper building components such as plumbing and roofing typically last the lifetime of the building?
And that’s not all. Has anyone ever told you that copper is an essential micronutrient that our bodies can’t do without, and that copper improves the health of our skin, bones, heart, immune systems and other vital functions?
If you knew the answers to all of the above, consider yourself among more than 80 percent of the population with a well-formed understanding and appreciation of copper’s contribution to our modern world and to our health.
A recent survey of consumer perceptions conducted for the Copper Development Association (www.copper.org) confirmed that most Americans have a high level of awareness when it comes to copper, copper products and the many positive attributes associated with copper. The study polled some 1,300 adult consumers across the USA, including 300 people of Hispanic origin whose primary language is Spanish.
“Consumer perceptions are critically important to producers and manufacturers,” according to Andy Kireta Sr., president of CDA, the copper industry’s information and market development arm. “This has never been more true than today, as market forces are being reshaped almost daily by a rapidly changing, and shrinking, world. We commissioned this survey to find out what people really think about copper—and how much they really know about it, given the kind of misinformation that gets traded around today. This study goes a long way toward confirming that consumers still regard copper very highly.”
Copper is much in the news lately because demand is soaring, and shortages along with market speculation have driven the price of this and other metals to new heights, here and around the globe. As a result, producers of competitive materials have been working hard to convince consumers that copper is somehow less desirable simply because it has become more valuable.
But not all consumers are so easily fooled. While some have turned to cheaper substitute materials, a majority of those who responded to the CDA survey said their opinion of copper remains favorable. Respondents also said they consider copper and the many products and attributes related to it “highly desirable and even of critical importance,” according to the research.
Perhaps most telling was how survey respondents regarded the “very important” benefits they associated with copper. Among the findings:
- 91 percent of those surveyed believed that plumbing pipes made with copper “protect drinking water health.”
- 87 percent said products made with copper “last a long time.”
- 85 percent felt that copper in our bodies “helps improve our defense against diseases.”
- 85 percent said copper “makes appliance motors more efficient.”
- 83 percent noted that copper products “require little maintenance.”
- 80 percent observed that copper products are “fully recyclable.”
- 78 percent regarded copper as “important tog technolically advanced products.”
Consumers also responded positively to claims made about copper. Seven out of ten people replied that they “feel much more positive” to learn that copper kills certain germs on touch surfaces, improves energy efficiency, may improve indoor air quality, lasts longer and is totally recyclable, and improves human health in various ways.