Introduction
Placing eco-labels on the consumer products is thought to have immense positive effects on the consumer behavior. In particular, some studies strongly suggest that when the consumers become aware about the product origins and the method used in merchandising, their consumer choices become more ecologically and environmentally friendly. The purpose of the future is to investigate whether these assumptions are validated, or they are merely the results of unfounded marketing speculations.
Background
There is a strong opinion among the marketing professionals that the importance of eco-labelling is gradually, but steadily growing. Thus, several studies confirmed the assumption that traditional methods of inducing the customers into making the expected marketing choices are frequently ineffective. Even contemporary methods of internet-based marketing such as SMM, direct advertising and others have already oversaturated the market. Thus, the businesses have no other options, but to start developing and implementing creative approaches to advertising their products.
One of the most effective approaches in this regard is manipulating ecological concerns of the potential consumers. Thus, the practice shows that the world’s population becomes more and more focused on protecting the natural environment. Therefore, highlighting that a product has been produced in an eco-friendly way is thought to be an effective method of keeping the sales high.
This research focuses on accomplishing several research objectives.
Firstly, this paper attempts to understand whether the assumption that eco-labelling is effective is indeed validated, or it is simply a method of demonstrating that the company is socially responsible.
Secondly, this paper tries to understand to what degree eco-labelling is an important factor is consumer decisions. In other words, this paper attempts at understanding whether it is a decisive factor in consumer behavior.
Thirdly, this paper aims at understanding the effectiveness of eco-labelling in the different countries. In particular, it focuses on understanding whether the same effect is produced in the developing and the developed countries.
Finally, the research paper tries to figure out the categories, in which the use of ecological labelling is the most important.
Hypothesis
The research hypothesis of this research project is the following:
“Placing eco-labels on the consumer products is one of the most decisive features in marketing in the developed countries, while in the developed countries they produce from moderate to no effect”.
Literature Review
Many commentators explored the importance of eco-labelling of consumer products. Thus, professors Kotler and Keller (2006) argue that in the highly developed societies, almost all categories of s similar product are of almost the same quality, and branding, packaging, methods of advertising and promotion produce from moderate to no positive effect on sales at all. Therefore, the majority of manufacturers have no other options, but to start merchandising their products in a creative way, trying to “play” on the deep, internal feelings of the consumers. Joshi (2005) suggests that one of the key concerns in this regard is the feeling of environmental responsibility. Much of the todays research demonstrates that staying green is gradually, but steadily evolving into one of the key priorities for many Americans. Thus, in order to keep their sales increasing, the companies shave to start manufacturing their products with the use of green technologies. Otherwise, however good they products may be, they substantially risk being outpaced by the ‘green’ competitors (Patterson & Pauwels, 2009).
Methodology
This research uses a mixture of primary and secondary qualitative research solutions. Firstly, the questionnaires will be distributed among the visitors of supermarkets and online, asking them whether ecological labelling is a significant factor in their consumer choices. Once collected, the findings of these questionnaires will be interpreted and compared with the existing academic knowledge on the point. The final data will be reviewed and outcomes of the research objectives will be analyzed.
Research Design
The research design of this project includes the following steps:
Development of the questionnaires
Distribution of the questionnaires
Collection and analysis of the results
Choice of the relevant academic and business literature
Analysis of this literature
Drafting
Review
Publication
Data Collection
At this stage, all relevant data on the impacts of ecological labelling of the products shall be collected. As discussed in the methodology section, the data will be taken from questionnaires, distributed among the buyers in the shopping, and questionnaires, distributed among the participants online. There will be 15 multiple choice questions, all aimed at evaluating the importance of eco-labelling on consumer products.
In addition to that, the research team will also attempt finding and analyzing the most relevant pieces of current academic and business research in this regard. In particular, many articles in the peer-reviewed journals, which try to analyze and interpret the importance of eco-labelling of consumer products, are regularly published in the United States of America and internationally. Understanding the main valid points of such studies is important for composing the factual framework of the future research.
Sample and Sampling Process
The targeted cohort includes 500 visitors of the different consumer supermarkets, chosen randomly. In the internet, the questionnaires will be posted in the various communities, supported by the shopping malls. The internet-based method focuses on attracting at least 1000 respondents.
Analysis Technique
As it has been discussed before, qualitative research solutions will be mainly used in the course of this study. Thus, qualitative-based approaches to analysis will be used.
Value of the Study and Managerial Implications
This study is of particular academic and business value because of the several reasons. Firstly, the findings of the future research report will help the business community to understand whether the new trend in marketing will substantially modify it, or that it should be viewed as a temporary “fashion” trend among the consumers, who are not realistically concerned about the needs of environment and ecology, but for whom it is a method of staying mainstream.
Secondly, this study will help the business community to understand whether changing current approaches to manufacturing and merchandising. Thus, even if eco-labelling is really important for the new generations of the consumers, the products labelled accordingly should definitely meet the requirements of ecologically friendly production cycles. The results of this research project will be helpful for the business owners, because they will reveal what considerations should be taken into consideration in this context.
Thirdly, these findings of this project will be relevant for the business community, because it will expose what ecological and environmental concerns are the most important for the average buyer of such products. Thus, some customers may be interested in general labels, indicating that a product has been made without inflicting any damage to the natural environment, while for the others demonstrating that not a single has been damaged is more important. Thus, among other issues, the findings of this research will help to understand whether general or specific labelling is a more effective approach of influencing consumer awareness.
Bibliography
Kotler, P. & Keller, K. (2006). Marketing management. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Joshi, R. (2005). International marketing. New Delhi New York: Oxford University Press.
Patterson, L. & Pauwels, K. (2009). Marketing metrics in action : creating a performance-driven marketing organization. Chicago, IL: Racom Books/Racom Communications.
