Chapter 1 Introduction ...

Chapter 1


Introduction






Eco & environmental: a new marketing opportunity




In today’s time, from Asia to America and from Africa to Europe, the entire world has heard about the necessity of preserving and saving our environment (Clemens, 2005). So what makes the phenomenon suddenly interesting for marketers? The answer is quite complex and deserve to be presented under a various ranges of angles and correspond to the so called “green phenomenon” (Peattie, Crane, 2005). But in short, it seems that now consumers are willing to go a step forward to the simple fact of being aware of this need, and they are actually ready to change their way of consuming goods and services. Nowadays, consumers are in fact more aware of their consumptions’ impacts on our planet and feel the need to change the curve. This, is due to the fact that now consumers are behaving and thinking in a different way toward business and marketers than they use to (Clemens, 2005). They have learned to protect themselves and they became more educated about business’ practices. In addition, it seems that “consuming green” procure to people a kind of personal satisfaction which at the end encourages them to carry on doing it (Dewar, 1991).
Not surprisingly, this is not new for marketers. In fact, since many years companies all over the world and from many different industries are already integrating the phenomenon in their thinking and strategies (McDaniel, Rylander, 1993). However, what is new is the increasing strength of the trend upon markets. For instance, because of people having a new way of consumption, lots of firms came on the market with innovative products and services judged as “eco-friendly” (Edwards, 2007). This is the case of Body Shop which has created his business success on the trend after observing a new niche market. Honda as well has created a new range of products focus on the protection of the environment (Turbo, 2009). Even within the tourism sector, a niche for ecotourism has been discover and is developing itself very quickly. At the end, many industries which are all very different are concerning by the phenomenon (Peatties, Crane, 2005).
Hence, it seems that the food industry should be strongly concern by the phenomenon because of its direct impact on people health. And within this sector, because of its predominant role in today’s society, the fast-food industry should be one of the major actors.




Role of the fast food industry in our society




MacDonald, KFC, Burger King, Subway... Everybody has come across and even eat once in a fast-food in his life. Nowadays, fast-foods are in any places you go: at work, in airport, in museum, on the motorway, and even at school or at ...