Green marketing is understood as the trade of ecological products and services, with environmental value, that protect the environment.
These products or services differ from the rest in changes such as being less polluting in their production processes or having reduced and reusable packaging.
One of the positive advances that COVID-19 has left us with is society's greater awareness of the environment, labour rights, local trade and, in short, greater concern for everything we consume and buy.
Thus, according to the Meet the 2020 consumers driving change study, 77% of consumers say that the sustainable practices of brands influence their purchasing decisions, even if the final price is a little more expensive.
The Psychological Power of Green Marketing
How many times have you heard or read about climate change in the last few years? Green issues have never had as much attention and space in the media and on platforms as Netflix. So it's no wonder that more and more people are aware of the climate emergency and want to help in some way.
Doing something positive for the planet is great and satisfying. No one wants to feel responsible for polluting rivers, promoting child exploitation or extinguishing species.
There is always a common feeling of doing good, and so the real attraction of green marketing is the added bonus for consumers of making a purchase or contracting a service that benefits the environment.
If you are not yet clear about what terms like "triple bottom line" mean, it is time to familiarise yourself with them, so that you understand that in addition to the economic bottom line, the environmental and social impact of your business is also important.
And this is where green marketing comes in. If you don't communicate the CSR actions you carry out, how do you intend to make the most of it? Learn about the benefits of green marketing and communication for brands.
Show that the products or services you offer are endorsed by labels or certifications.
There are various Eco-labels and certifications in the market, but we must know what criteria they include: whether they are based on their life cycle, on a specific environmental aspect or on environmental product declarations. Which are the most restrictive and by whom are they endorsed, as there is a proliferation of unofficial labels that do not really have a "green" component, although they may appear to have one.
Find out if there is a label in your municipality that gives priority to local products, who is behind the certification and which public is interested in consuming it.
Work with Customers to Reduce Waste
Japanese retailer Ito-Yokado has introduced new sales practices such as face-to-face selling, selling by weight and selling by unit for meat, fruit and vegetables, fresh fish and ready meals to reduce the amount of packaging used and meet the demand of its customers who want to buy only what they need.
Working with suppliers to improve their sustainability performance
British company Boots encourages its suppliers to participate in workshops on issues such as packaging, resource efficiency and energy management. Sweden's Ikea promotes responsible manufacturing among its suppliers through its IWAY code of conduct, with which they must comply in order to be approved as a key supplier.
Reduce Your Raw Materials and Communicate it
If you can apply the Cradle to Cradle principles, where the concept of waste does not exist as all waste is recoverable and can be returned to the product life cycle. We recommend that you read this book that explains how a chemist and an architect manage to produce without generating waste.
In the same way, you can do the same with the electricity consumed. A change in energy source to renewables can make a big difference to the perception of your brand. Demonstrating that your company is committed to the environment throughout the life cycle of products and activity will increase public confidence.
Promote Responsible Consumerism
People can choose a product or service based on its environmental and social impact, with a life without "planned obsolescence" that comes from a fair and social economy or that has a reduced ecological footprint.
It is important to prioritise reuse, to give options to reduce the waste that is generated and finally to be able to recycle 100% of the product that can no longer have a second useful life.