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Sustainable laundry purchasing, how are the marketing strategies changing (first part)

When customers enter the laundry, they evaluate the product or the service, but they assess moreover the perceived value in relation to the price requested. The research behind this value is no longer related to criteria such as quality, efficiency but it is moving more towards sustainability. Marketing experts have generally concentrated much of their time and efforts on the presales stage and have focused on managing the price aspect in this equation, as the price increase can immediately boost profits.

Sustainable purchases in the laundry

But this is the easy part: pricing usually consists of managing a relatively small set of numbers and the price analysis and tactics are highly evolved from a revenue marketing perspective. What consumers really appreciate, however, can be difficult to define and also psychologically complicated. Leadership teams have so far actively managed value or have come up with a few interesting ways to provide more, through practical aspects (time saving, cost reduction) emotive aspects (anxiety reduction, entertainment), through emotional aspects (motivation, selffulfilment) to reach the social dimension and thus to selftranscendence.

Today, at almost 10 years after creating the pyramid of values, the consumer choices have changed when it comes to the laundry. In particular, it seems that those functional aspects that used to determine the choices of the customers in the past, are now taken for granted so the managers had to come up with new concepts to anticipate what else people might consider valuable. Of course, the amount and nature of the value of a particular product or service is always determined by the eyes of the beholder. Yet there are new universal building blocks of value that create opportunities for companies to improve their performance on the current markets or to penetrate new ones. A rigorous model of value for the consumer that helps a company to elaborate new value combinations that its products and services could offer.

The value of sustainability in the laundry, according to Generation Z

In these recent years, there has been an increasing awareness among the young Generation Z regarding the importance of sustainability. This trend has significantly influenced their choices and behaviour, creating a movement that goes far beyond a simple environmental concern. Generation Z, mainly composed of individuals born between the mid-1990s and 2010, faces unprecedented global challenges, such as climate change and biodiversity loss. These young people have grown up in an era characterised by constant news about the environmental and social impacts of human actions, and this has shaped their perspective on the world.

Sustainability has become a kind of guiding light for the Generation Z, which is actively looking for ways to reduce the negative impact on the environment and contribute to a more equitable and sustainable future. This is reflected in their consumption choices, work preferences and social activism activities. In terms of consumption, Generation Z increasingly favours products and services with a low environmental impact.

What to communicate in the laundry

In a laundry, for example, it is important to communicate how much water is used in the washing process, the temperatures, the energy used and its origin if from renewable sources, the CO2 produced for each washing cycle, or the green impact of detergents, the wastewater recycling system, process digitalisation, and much more. Also important is the packaging system or the materials used if plastic-free, or even the type of fabric fibre chosen, if it extends the life of the product, recyclability and reusability of the fabric. Some companies in the textile sector, for example make bags from scraps by employing “special” workers with certain disabilities in the production processes, generating a higher sustainable value of the products.

Environmental awareness drives their purchasing decisions, driving them to prefer brands that adopt sustainable and responsible practices. This has influenced the marketing strategies of the companies, which have adapted to meet this growing demand for sustainability. The young people belonging to Generation Z participate to protests, awareness-raising campaigns and community initiatives to promote sustainability and address environmental challenges. Their voices are becoming louder and louder, demanding concrete action from institutions and companies.

The 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals are gaining increasing legitimacy as a reference framework and guide for the development of a strategic approach to sustainability in management and underpin the frugal management model. The Agenda presents 17 Goals divided into 169 targets and more than 240 indicators on which each country will be monitored periodically at the UN and by international and national public opinion. These are cross-cutting and complex goals that include issues such as climate change, sustainable consumption, innovation in all fields and the importance of ensuring peace and justice for all.

OFFICINAE LEAN & DIGITAL MARKETING

OFFICINAE LEAN & DIGITAL MARKETING
Via Passarelli 99, Matera (I) – Tel. +39 0835 333321
info@officinae.com www.officinae.com

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