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The Next Step In The Ethical Consumerism Revolution

Published by: Datamonitor

Published: Feb. 20, 2008 - 42 Pages


Table of Contents


DATAMONITOR VIEW
CATALYST
SUMMARY
ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION: There are different levels and consequences of ethical consumption
Business leaders want to take action but are unsure how to best succeed
Ethical consumerism is becoming more sophisticated
TREND: Ethical and environmental concerns are escalating on a global scale
Concern over environmental and animal welfare issues are especially high among Europeans
US consumers have entered a more reflective and concerned phase of consumption
In the Asia-Pacific region more economically developed nations are most concerned about the environment
Take-outs and implications: ethical consciousness has entered the mainstream and must therefore prompt a strategic re-think as companies plan for
the future
TREND: Consumers are increasingly acting on their ethical beliefs via product choices
Fair-trade sales are experiencing phenomenal growth
Beverages is the most important category in fair-trade, primarily due to extensive coffee and tea sales
Organic spending is growing, driven, in part, by ethical considerations
Consumers will boycott brands/products that they perceive as lacking environmental credentials
Consumers are also disposing of the products they buy in a more ethical manner
Take-outs and implications: ethical consciousness is directly impacting consumer goods sales
INSIGHT: Socio-demographics impact how shoppers view ethical issues
Take-outs and implications: manufacturers and marketers need to take socio-demographics into account but recognize a democratization of ethical consumerism overall
INSIGHT: There remains a 'disconnect' between consumers' ethical attitudes and actual buying behavior
Consumers desire accurate information and education about ethical / environmental issues
Price can be a factor for some consumers failing to adopt more ethical alternatives
Consumers demand more from a product than solely being ethical
Consumers are also questioning the broader integrity of the ethical movement
Strong ethical credentials are associated with enhanced consumer trust
Take-outs and implications: removing the major 'inhibitors' to ethical purchasing is needed to reap long-term rewards
INSIGHT: Environmental concerns are paramount to the ethical consumption trend
Ethical consumption is not a wholly altruistic act
Take-outs and implications: concerns about the environment are not entirely selfless
INSIGHT: Ethical consumerism is associated with self expressive consumers looking to position themselves in a specific manner
Take-outs and Implications: consumers use ethical consumption as a means of expression
INSIGHT: 'Going local' is a consumption trend with strong ties to ethics
Food miles are in the consumer consciousness, but the term is not without limitations
Consumers are responding to concepts of 'carbon footprints' and 'food prints'
Take-outs and implications: 'buying local' is a key element of the ethical movement
Conclusions
ACTIONS
ACTION: Determine a clear plan of action to deal with increasing ethical expectations among shoppers
Research / monitor your company's ethical performance effectively - if you don't others will
ACTION: Endeavour to reduce the impact of your products on the environment
Source products and ingredients ethically where possible
Demonstrate a commitment to reduce your packaging footprint by reducing material waste
Use 'light-weighting' alternatives where applicable
Incorporate sustainability initiatives into all operations
'Carbon offsetting' can contribute to your ethical profile
ACTION: Actively promote your ethical credentials ensuring honest and clear communication
Educate and inform consumers about your sustainability credentials
Show consumers that your CSR activities are not just PR
Use carbon offsetting in conjunction with other procedures and claims
Ensure that ethical claims can be substantiated
Get passionate activists onside or inside the company
Don't be afraid to reflect the positive and 'cool' aspect of ethics
Make transparency and traceability core features of supply chain and marketing communications
Promote the story of the ethically produced product
Avoid making ethical considerations the key message of marketing communications, especially for new product promotion
ACTION: Attempt to bring ethical consumerism to mass market
Expand ethical product distribution into mass channels
Develop branded initiatives that enable consumers to more easily identify eco-friendly packages
Use in-store signage to educate and communicate about environmental credentials
Command price premiums where possible yet strive to bring prices down
APPENDIX
Definitions
Methodology
References/ Further reading
Ask the analyst
Datamonitor consulting
Disclaimer
List of Tables
Table 1: Fair-trade overall product sales by country, 2002, 2007, 2012, ($m)
Table 2: Fair-trade sales by country and category, 2002, 2007, 2012 ($ millions)
Table 3: The percentage of new product launches in the US and Europe tagged as 'organic', by product 2002-07
Table 4: Organic food market value ($ millions) by country, 2002, 2007, 2012
Table 5: Organic beverage market value ($ millions) by country, 2002, 2007, 2012
Table 6: Organic personal care market value ($ millions) by country, 2002, 2007, 2012
Table 7: Importance of fair-trade categories by gender, 2006
List of Figures
Figure 1: There are a number of drivers and inhibitors affecting ethical consumption
Figure 2: Ethical consumerism is becoming more sophisticated over time
Figure 3: Australia and Spain are predicted to have the strongest growth in fair-trade over the next five years
Figure 4: The US, Spain and Sweden offer the fastest growth potential in organic food sales
Figure 5: Higher education positively impacts ethical buying behavior
Figure 6: Over the past twenty years their has been a shift in European and US consumer concern toward environmental issues
Figure 7: Caring about the environment tops social justice concerns for US fair-trade consumers
Figure 8: Recent natural disasters have highlighted the impact of climate change in consumers' minds
Figure 9: Tesco has launched a new store with a 50% smaller carbon footprint than a conventional store
Figure 10: Educating consumers about ethical sustainability policies increases awareness and adds impact to the changes being made
Figure 11: Marketers can adapt farmers' market advantages for the mass market
Figure 12: Ethical considerations are secondary to a number of other important needs associated with food and drink consumption
Figure 13: In-store signage increases the visibility of sustainable products

Abstract

Introduction

Ethical consumerism will increasingly come to the fore as people shop for products they feel akin to politically, ethically and aesthetically. Consumers will choose brands that are actively making a difference in a transparent and trustworthy manner. This is reflected by the double-digit growth forecasted for fair-trade purchases in the next 5 years in nearly all countries covered in this report

Scope

Comprehensive analysis of consumer values, attitudes and behaviors with regard to ethically aligned consumption Sizing of key markets influenced by ethical considerations notably organic and fair-trade spending by country and category Detailed recommendations offering practical strategies based on the trends and insights uncovered in the report Covers countries across Europe, North America and the Asia-Pacific; France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, UK, US, Japan and Australia

Highlights

Ethical concerns span the globe covering many consumers in a number of countries. Differences do however occur on the importance of individual issues on a country-by-country basis. For manufacturers and marketers to effectively capitalize on the trend, they need to understand these variations The organic food segment dominates overall organics' spending with sales in excess of US$20 billion in Europe and US$17 billion in the US alone. Food products are also increasingly being tagged as 'organic'. In 2007 15.1% of new food product launches tracked by Productscan were tagged as organic, compared to 7.3% in 2002 As the ethical movement has grown, a number of companies have tried to position themselves as 'green', some with more success than others. Going forward it is imperative that businesses create a clear plan of how to re-adjust to meet consumer demand or risk being left behind.

Reasons to Purchase

Understand the attitudes driving and inhibiting the ethical consumerism revolution Obtain exclusive data on the consumption; food, drink and personal care market values of fair-trade and organic consumption Improve your marketing by following best-practice guidelines enabling more effective targeting with on-trend products and relevant communications.

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