I know TTJ seems to be going through a bit of a green patch at the moment, but with the Johannesburg Earth Summit in full oyster-quaffing swing, it’s difficult to avoid. And I thought it might be an appropriate time to point out that there are people and organisations that are taking a different slant on the environmental issues. They’re not bludgeoning us with an evangelical eco-message, but examining how taking the green route generally and marketing your product as environmentally sound can have a commercial as well as a moral pay off.
According to the latest Co-op Bank-commissioned Ethical Purchasing Index (EPI), the UK market for “ethical products” (which can mean politically correct, but mainly implies ‘greenness’) grew 19% in 2000 to reach £13.4bn. Fastest growth of all came in sales of “ethical household goods”, up 43% at £1.2bn.
The “ethical market” overall still only represents 1.6% of total UK consumer spending, but the EPI points out that it is growing six times faster than the latter. And this rate of increase looks set to continue.
According to a report by ‘business strategists’ The Fourth Room, called Brand Green; Mainstream or Forever Niche, the “ethical business” is getting a big push from leading retailers and manufacturers trying to get an edge in the market. It cites Marks & Spencer‘s commitment to phase out PVCu products and car maker Kia’s green slogans and inclusion of a free bike with every Sedona people carrier.
But the report also forewarns companies trying to capitalise on this trend. Green consumers won’t be fooled by “token” environmental claims, it says, and, to win over the rest of the buying public, such statements need to be less worthy and more humorous, “light” and practical. Currently most consumers see most environmental marketing as “too serious and depressing”.
But it strikes me that both of these reports spell good news for the timber industry. It has a product that is inherently green and can be increasingly convincingly proven to be so. Moreover, the industry’s eco-message is positive and progressive (ie more timber sold equals more trees planted). At the same time timber can be billed as desirable and practical – how many ‘ethical products’ can you say that about ?
So the Earth Summit may be bad news for oysters, but in raising the profile of eco-issues, it may actually cast a few pearls the way of the timber industry.
