Environment-Friendly Products

Essay by crazyhum July 2009

download word file, 3 pages 1.0

The terms like "environment-friendly" has entered the mainstream glossary; retailers are using in-store producing to promote products that are all innate and energy efficient. Wal-Mart got the ball rolling last year with its sustainability efforts and now other retailers are jumping on board. Sheila McCuskey, an analyst for research firm Information Resources Inc., says that using in-store signs could help retailers drive sales of green products that are in demand but not always easy to find. "One study we did shows 84% of consumers are interested in using eco-friendly products and that 30% actively look for them," said McCuskey. "And 50% of the people who actively seek them are young adults."She also said eco-friendly products have begun to expand from food into new product categories. She said green cleaning products accounted for only 1% of the market last year but sales increased 52% and sales of all natural personal care products increased 9% last year.

Those sales would increase even more with a little help from retailers. "There's a phenomenal window of opportunity for retailers to use in-store signage that designates healthy products," said McCuskey. "Consumers' love the idea of signs that call out the products they're looking for, and if retailers and manufacturers put more marketing muscle behind them, I think they'll see amazing results."The Body Shop combines activism with marketing, encouraging women to focus on self-esteem and environmental issues; and is committed to a concept that they refer to as sustainable governance. Sustainable governance means that the "directors [of The Body Shop] are committed to integrity and accountability in the stewardship of the Company's affairs... this includes social and environmental performance, and animal protection" (www.thebodyshop.com).

The franchising system has grown too fast and lacked of strategic communications with the company head. Recent result of Social Audit...