|
|
Consumers Getting Smart by Mobile Technology
Advances in mobile technology are increasing the number of consumer
products with smart barcodes. Although this development is
encouraging more sustainable products, the implications are far
reaching that could eventually lead to the demise of
some eco-labels.
|
 |
Eco-labels
currently play an important role in marking sustainable products.
Indeed, green symbols and logos are becoming ubiquitous on foods,
cosmetics, household cleaning products, textiles, furniture and even
toys. However, some consumers are becoming disillusioned with
eco-labels because of the shortcomings of many standards and lack of
transparency. For instance, the proliferation in food eco-labels is
causing consumer confusion whereby many cannot distinguish between
organic, fair trade, UTZ certified, and other eco-labels. Thus,
consumers are increasingly turning to mobile
technology applications to meet their
informational needs.
Mobile devices enable consumers to get a wealth of information on
products from their QR (smart)
barcodes. Consumers seeking sustainable
products can get details on the product’s environmental, social and
even economic footprint whilst shopping. Some brands allow consumers
to use the barcodes to ‘track and tell’ the product origins. Indeed,
the technology is becoming popular on fruits & vegetable products as
they allow consumers to meet the growers. For
instance, the Californian brand Locale has strawberries that are
traceable to the farm of origin.
Organic Monitor sees US-based GoodGuide as a frontrunner in
mobile technology
applications. By downloading the smart application on their mobile
phones, consumers can get details on various health, environment and
society parameters of their products. The GoodGuide gives ratings
for almost 100,000 consumer products and companies. According to its
methodology, Horizon Organic milk has lower environmental rating
record then Nesquick strawberry milk, and Nature’s Gate natural baby
shampoo is more toxic than a Johnson & Johnson’s conventional
shampoo. By rating products on various criteria, it highlights the
shortcomings of many sustainable products.
As consumers become information savvy, they are demanding more from
sustainable products. Organic - the world’s largest eco-label for
consumer products - has grown to represent a USD 60 billion industry
spanning foods, textiles, cosmetics, flowers and related products.
Although organic is the most sustainable form of agriculture,
existing standards do not factor in CO2, H20 and energy footprints.
Thus, an organic apple from Latin America can have a higher
environmental impact than a locally grown conventional one.
Similarly, a fair trade coffee can give a positive social
contribution to the African grower but still have an adverse effect
on the environment.
The major advantage of mobile technology is that it can give a
holistic picture of a product’s sustainability credentials. Whereas
the shortcoming of most eco-labels is that they look at some ethical
/ ecological aspects in isolation. By ‘naming and shaming’ brands,
product rating systems like those of the GoodGuide also encourage
companies to develop more sustainable products. Thus, companies with
organic products are now looking at social aspects, whilst those
with fair trade products take environmental considerations more
seriously. The technology is also making other sustainability
indicators like carbon emissions and packaging footprint prominent.
Consumers are likely to benefit from greater transparency and
accountability from brand owners; however a question mark hangs over
the future of existing eco-labels. With over 500 symbols and logos
representing sustainable food products, many consumers are getting
lost in the maze of eco-labels. To these
consumers, mobile technology
gives an exit route whilst maintaining
their green purchasing beliefs.
Sustainability Summits
The impact of mobile technology on sustainable products will be
featured in our upcoming sustainability summits...
Sustainable
Cosmetics Summit (17-19 May 2012)
Sustainable Foods
Summit (7-8 June 2012)
Posted: January 5th 2012
For permission to publish our research articles, please contact our
Press Department
|
