One Number That Could Change the Way We Shop

The idea of a single scoring system for sustainability, as put forth in the One Green Score for One Earth white paper, is an excellent and timely proposition. Sustainability matters to shoppers, as evidenced in small and large ways. We see it at grocery checkout lanes with more and more shoppers bringing their own reusable bags, and on a much bigger scale with actions such as Target’s recent commitment to selling only sustainable and traceable seafood by 2015.

However, there are questions that remain unanswered, such as: How many shoppers are truly motivated to purchase based on sustainability claims? How strong is consumer demand for a scoring system that lets shoppers know the impact of a single purchase on the environment? And could a score influence purchase decisions enough to drive significant change?

While the research presented in the One Green Score for One Green Earth white paper indicates a scoring system would have a positive impact (e.g., 69% of those surveyed, who only find sustainability somewhat important, say a score would influence their decisions), there already are numerous scoring systems in the marketplace (e.g., Energy Star for energy efficient products, Good Guide for green/ethical products, Green Index, Timberland’s measure of the environmental impact of their own products, etc.), yet sustainable purchasing only accounts for approximately one-third of all purchases made (also according to the One Green Score survey).

So is a scoring system really the key to changing our society’s consumption behavior, and thus the corresponding impact our behavior has on the planet and its occupants?

We believe yes, education is needed, with reminders provided at moments when one might not be thinking about sustainability, like when shopping for shoes, eggs or even the new iPhone 4S.

While we still have a long way to go to make lasting changes, a uniform scoring system would be a strong step in the right direction to aid us all in making better choices as shoppers. Let us know if you agree, or if you have a different idea on how to educate shoppers at the moment when a purchase decision is being made.

By Christine Nardi Diette and Meredith Reineck
Christine is group president at Ryan Partnership Chicago, a leading expert in promotion, shopper, and digital marketing campaigns for emerging and established consumer brands. Meredith is a managing director at the agency. They both blog at blog.ryanpartnershipchicago.com.