of the potential effects of its use on the environment. The provision of information on sustainable behavior and its consequences is of decisive importance”, especially for products with high prices and deferred profits. A study by Hardisty (2020) has shown that when purchasing household appliances or electronics, consumers think little about their energy efficiency or care less about it than about their price. On the other hand, White et al. found that “a message geared towards the potential losses to the community in the event of insufficient household recycling is most effective if there is information on when the bins are taken out, what materials to recycle, etc.”. This method reassures people who are afraid of losing something and therefore have an “aversion to loss”.
The fifth step proposes favoring experience over materialism. Some companies have set up business models to make consumers more receptive to ecological alternatives. “In the experience economy, they offer experience-based solutions that are an alternative to material goods.” For example, Honeyfund might suggest financing a honeymoon trip rather than the household items on a wedding list. This makes the buyers and the bride and groom seem happier, with more meaningful memories. “With the sharing economy, companies specialize in sharing and renting products or services rather than selling them, which reduces their environmental footprint. Others offer recycling after the products have been used.” For example, Eileen Fisher and Patagonia encourage their customers to buy high-quality clothing that they can wear for a long time, and then send it back to the company to be refurbished and resold to perpetuate a sustainable circular economy.
Businesses are increasingly communicating with consumers about the sustainability of their brands to increase their market share and contribute to the development of a sustainable lifestyle. The authors of this study recommend that companies should better understand the wants and needs of their target markets, as well as the obstacles and benefits of behavioral change, and adapt their market strategies. “Applying the fundamentals of marketing to engage consumers with a brand’s raison d’être and successfully promoting sustainable consumption are the key challenges for companies in the future. The more companies overcome them, the more the sustainable business will emerge as a ‘smart’ business.”
1 1 Producers, experts, consumer associations, etc.
2 2 Excerpt from interview: Ignatius, A. (2015). Lars Rebien Sorensen voted best manager of the year 2015. Harvard Business Review, December–January, 98.
3 3 Excerpt from Donald Trump’s speech on the withdrawal of the United States on June 1, 2017.
4 4 Le Monde, June 3, 2017.
5 5 These agencies assess and rate responsible business practices on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues.
6 6 American documentary film by Michael Moore released in 1998. The film denounces the practices of multinationals that lay off their staff while they make a profit, such as Nike, whose subcontractors use child labor.
7 7 Le Monde, Économie & Entreprise supplement, Thursday September 24, 2015.
8 8 Le Monde, Économie & Entreprise supplement, Wednesday June 20, 2018.
9 9 This credibility stems from their independence, their activism in relation to companies and the fact that the actions they defend are not in their own interests.
10 10 A product is classified as “conventional” if it does not contain tangible or intangible “environmental and/or social” attributes.
11 11 The author of this study drew on United Nations sources: Business & Sustainable Development Commission (2017). Better Business, Better World. Report, United Nations.
12 12 Search attributes are properties of products that consumers can check and evaluate before making a purchase (Nelson 1970; Darby and Karni 1973).
13 13 The core is the fundamental element of the representation: it determines both the meaning and the organization of the representation.
14 14 American distillery company of Tennessee whiskey, founded by Jack Daniel.
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