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Does ‘eco-friendly’ Guarantee Product Sustainability Among Consumers?

By Grace Ademulegun

Consumer decisions are becoming more and more influenced by sustainability as more consumers look for eco-friendly goods. However, does the term “eco-friendly” guarantee sustainability in the consumer market?

Eco-friendly items are manufactured with natural substances and materials instead of plastics, synthetic materials, or dangerous chemicals, according to the European Consumer Centre in France.

Selecting goods that take the environment into account at every turn, from the procurement of raw materials to disposal, is known as conscious consumption.

But in the EU, there isn’t a single, accepted definition of what constitutes an environmentally friendly product. Natural-origin products, high durability, energy efficiency, ethical sourcing, and local production are a few important indications.

An eco-friendly product might lessen damage to the environment, but sustainability calls for a more comprehensive strategy. This entails conserving energy, managing resources responsibly, and making sure that manufacturing and distribution procedures are morally sound.

A circular economy is taken into consideration while designing sustainable products. This entails making sure that their whole lifecycle—from the extraction of raw materials to production, shipping, consumer use, and final disposal or recycling—has as little negative influence on the environment as possible.

Companies should consider whether a product can be created without plastic, whether it is biodegradable or compostable, whether it promotes sustainable customer behaviour, and whether the production method is ecologically responsible in order to create truly sustainable products.

Brands can make sure their products do more than merely carry the “eco-friendly” label by answering these questions and making a significant contribution to sustainability.

The demand for eco-friendly items is expanding. A Deloitte 2024 poll indicates that 51% of retailers currently give sustainable packaging materials top priority. According to a DoSomething study, 75 percent of young consumers between the ages of 12 and 27 prefer sustainability to brand names.

However, other groups cannot afford eco-friendly products because they are frequently more expensive. Even when price variations are small, sustainability labels may give the impression that expenses are higher.

By lowering the costs of sustainable items wherever feasible, informing customers of the long-term financial advantages, and making sustainable options more accessible, retailers can try to remove these financial obstacles. Green projects run the risk of becoming elitist and alienating lower-income consumers if pricing is not addressed.

25 percent of carbon emissions worldwide are attributable to retail, with supply chains being the main offender. Cost is still a significant deterrent, despite the fact that 80 percent of consumers indicate they are willing to pay more for sustainable items.

There is a gap between those who can prioritise sustainability and those who cannot because many customers cannot afford green solutions.

An ethical question is brought up by this: should being environmentally sensitive be a privilege? The wealthy shouldn’t be the only ones who practice sustainability.

Offering long-lasting, environmentally friendly items, cutting waste and streamlining supply chains to save money, and investing in renewable energy to reduce operating costs rather than passing the savings on to customers are all ways that retailers may guarantee affordability.

Sustainability is a social concern as well as an environmental one. Green products need to be affordable for all income levels in order to have a long-lasting effect. Retailers may accomplish this by fusing social responsibility with environmentally sustainable business strategies.

Small companies like Pets Corner guarantee that their consumers receive high-quality, long-lasting sustainable products while running their stores entirely on renewable energy.

They keep customers from bearing the whole weight of sustainability-related expenses by taking on a portion of them. They also take part in projects like restoring woodlands, demonstrating that sustainability is more than just selling goods.

Although eco-friendly branding might draw in climate-conscious customers, businesses need to do more than just advertise to make a difference. This entails defending price disparities with long-term quality, outlining the reasons why sustainable products could be more expensive, and showcasing the company’s green actions.

Retailers need to strike a balance between social effect and environmental responsibility. In order to make green choices practical and available to everyone, ESG initiatives should not just concentrate on sustainability but also on people.

Having the designation “eco-friendly” does not guarantee that a product is sustainable. A comprehensive strategy that takes into account a product’s whole lifecycle, accessibility to capital, and social impact is necessary for sustainability.

Businesses can effect genuine change and guarantee that sustainability is not only a privilege but also a shared duty by providing all customers with green options.

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