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There are lots of discrepancies in what people say and what they actually do. The author has managed to bring this point home by taking an insight overview on the behavior of consumers and the factors that affects their behavior. This is the main message that the author sends to the reader. The author further adds that despite the fact that most consumers are aware of the ethical issues surrounding the products they purchase, most of the consumers are unwilling to model their purchasing behavior in order to conform to the ethical issue while on the other side compromising on the benefits that the particular product is o offer. There are several products in the market that that do not take into consideration the aspect of environment conservation during their manufacture. When the market price of these products are compared with the ones manufactured under conditions aimed at conserving the environment, their prices seems to be cheaper than the ones that lead to environmental degradation. Consumers are however, unwilling to spend more for the sake of the environment. They would rather go for the cheaper products at the expense of environment conservation. The consumers are however aware of the dangers posed by such products but are unwilling to change their behavior for the sake of environmental conservation.
The primary audience being addressed in this piece of work is the consumer. Despite the fact that consumers are aware of what is expected of them, they however despise such facts and instead go contrary to what is expected of them. This problem has led to environmental degradation and the production of substandard goods. Therefore the author is more concerned on the ignorant consumers who depict insensitive behavior when purchasing products not conforming to the required production and market standards. If this behavior is left to continue then more damage could be done to the environment and even ignorant consumers will be affected later on. This message is being sent to the consumers so that they can show some sensitive behavior in order to boost the efforts of environmental conservation and also help in quality and safe production of industrial goods.
The author has managed to present a number of evidence to the audience. The evidence presented is based on different research work that has been carried out in order to determine the consumer behavior and help to solve the problem of unethical consumption. Examples of unethical consumption presented in the work include: consumers preferring to but rubber from companies with lax labor standards, soap produced in ways that can harm the environment and most of the interviewees admitted to have purchased counterfeit goods. The counterfeits goods are usually substandard but people purchase them so as to save on costs.
Most consumers do not practice what they say. In as much as they know the ethics involved in consumption, these consumers do not uphold such values but tend to look for cheaper ways which may in turn prove to be expensive. The consumers need to practice what they say and what they know is right in order to ensure the survival of ethical products in the market which are of higher standards and also help in conserving the environment.
The author strives to bring out the problems involved in unethical consumption by encouraging the producers of the substandard goods to produce more. If people were not purchasing the substandard goods, then the manufacturers would lack market for such goods and this would later on lead to extinction of such products. The author concludes by urging the consumers to help in protecting the environment and the market of ethical goods through ethical consumption. If this is taken into consideration, then substandard and counterfeit goods will be wiped out of the market completely.
