Consumer awareness of the conflict-diamond issue has reached an all-time high, says a new survey by MVI Marketing, Paso Robles, Calif. Twenty-six percent of consumers are aware of the term “conflict diamonds” or “blood diamonds,” MVI’s Jewelry Consumer Opinion Council found in a July survey. That’s up from 16% awareness in 2002, 9% in May 2001, and just 7% in October 2001.

“Retailers need to be aware of this growing consumer consciousness,” says Martin J. Hurwitz, CEO of MVI Marketing. He thinks consumer awareness may have ramped up because of greater news coverage of events in Africa and the mention of “conflict diamonds” in the James Bond move Die Another Day.

“I don’t think consumers fully understand the issue, but there is growing awareness of the term,” Hurwitz says.