environmentally green products

Green option: Are green products recession-proof?

During a recession, consumers become more sensitive prices relative to other attributes such as quality or brand. Consumers looking to stretch their budgets and become more concerned by what they can afford all categories of laundry detergent and frozen pizza to clothing and furniture. A number of studies and articles and have shown most consumers change their buying behavior in a recession, not only the unemployed and temporarily laid off. Green products seem to defy this trend and perhaps a bit anti-recession. A number of reports in recent days by Forrester Research, the Carbon Trust Standard and IRI showed environmental considerations remain important even in a recession.

Environmentally conscious Consumers seem to stay green even during difficult times. They are willing to pay more for green products and ethically produced and they are loyal the brand for companies with real environmental benefits. The market for green products has been estimated at $ 209 billion in 2008. This represents an opportunity for green businesses that green consumers are quite distinct from mass consumers. Green consumers are willing to pay more or stick to brands that meet their ethical values and meet their needs for a more sustainable environment. Some authors as J. Ottman suggest that products should not be sold on their green-ness alone. Green obviously below normal or lower quality products sold at a premium because they are marked will not fool consumers. However, these studies indicate that consumers with a positive perception of green products will continue buying them in the harshest economic conditions and will not compromise.

According to J. Ottman's five rules of green marketing are:

1. Consumers should be aware of and concerned about issues that your product professes to address. Do not sell someone does care about green.

2. They must feel they will make a difference by using your product. Do you agree eco light bulbs economy $ 1.50 of electricity per year?

3. They have to believe your claims. Ask yourself to save the earth with your laundry detergent?

4. The product is working. Even if the detergent is to save the earth, also to remove stains!

5. If you pay a premium, the consumer has the impression that it's worth it. Greenwashing is a no no. show real environmental benefits.

There is a real opportunity for entrepreneurs to develop and market eco- friendly products and green of the size and growth of this market. We can think of a number of services environmentally friendly products that contribute to the environment and meet a real need for environmentally conscious consumers. There may be a way to eco-innovate us out of this recession. Green jobs and opportunities are waiting. This economic crisis will end in a few months, but the climate crisis will remain for decades coming and so are the possibilities for a cleaner environment.

About the Author

Jean-Luc Marcoux,ecoEntrepreneur and Managing Director;EverQuest Design Inc, an eco marketing agency involved in marketing of products made from repurposed textiles(Cirque du Soleil tents, Apple advertising billboards, space mission parachutes). He has worked with Cirque du Soleil, CBS and large media and telecom clients in Canada and the USA. He also has significant experience as a business strategist in online marketing.

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