UK shoppers are the least willing to pay extra for greener products, a global study by TNS has found.

It also revealed that UK consumers are unlikely to support retailers that stock up on sustainable goods.

Across the world, 59 per cent of respondents said they were happy to pay more if a product was environmentally friendly. The proportion fell to 45 per cent in the UK, putting it at the bottom of the league in terms of willingness to pay a “green premium”.

Although 60 per cent of consumers in the UK think it is “right” or “fair” for retailers to remove non-sustainable products from their shelves, only 34 per cent said that they would seek out retailers that do this.

TNS UK managing director Andrew Czarnowski said: “The question for brands targeting UK consumers is are these people willing to walk the walk, or just talk the talk? This research proves the latter is unfortunately the case, as very few Brits back up their green convictions by accepting a higher price for greener products.”