Just because a product/service is green, does everyone want it?

 

 

 

 

It seems that many products/services that are environmentally friendly would generate high consideration from consumers.  Is that the only factor for people’s decision to buy?

This article argues that without user friendly design, even if the product/service is green, it becomes difficult to market it.  The article continues to discusses how a milk processing company hired a design team to produce a jug that was able to reduce costs to the consumer while simultaneously increase the efficiency of its supply chain and create a green product.  It took a regular one gallon jug, transformed it, and made it into a boxy jug, which compared to a regular jug was easier to stack on top of each other.  Therefore efficiencies were realized during the bottling, transportation, and stocking process.  Since there were fewer trips involved in transportation, the savings in fuel and air pollution helped make this product green. 

 

 

 

 

The supplier was able to identify and understand the problem facing both the consumer and supply chain.  Sounds perfect, right?  Well, the problem is that the design of the jug made it difficult to pour milk without spilling due to the absence of a spout.  Instead of lifting the jug and pouring, this design required rocking the jug forward.  This is certainly not intuitive to the consumer.  From a supply-side sustainability perspective, this is a success.  But from a demand-side sustainability perspective, improvements are much

needed.

 

 

 

 

This article summarizes what factors are needed to ensure that both the supply and demand-side sustainability perspectives are met.  Here is a graphic from below.   

 

 

 

 

It also states that from the supply-side, results are easily quantifiable in the form of cost savings. From the demand-side, it is being able to identify with the needs of the customer, design a product around them, and making it desirable and green at the same time.  Market share and sales are the two identifiable metrics from the demand side.

 

 

 

 

By ensuring both the demand and supply side sustainability are met, the design of a product/service becomes a win/win proposition for both the suppliers and consumers.  Demand would increase as a result of user-friendly design, costs would be minimized as a result of the efficiencies gained from an optimal supply-side sustainability solution.