Will it become the new normal? It is perhaps a long way off. However, I remember how rare it used to be to find vegan or vegetarian dishes on restaurant menus. That is no longer the case. The mainstreaming of vegetarianism — and increasingly veganism — resulted from consumer pressure, as people sought what they considered a better option. Chefs responded and provided what the consumer wanted. The evidence for changing consumer demand is now very strong. Trade survey after trade survey reports this shift in demand.
The need for differentiation
Of course, price and destination/activity remain primary. But there is no margin if you secure sales only by competing on price—it becomes a race to the bottom. Differentiation is important in securing sales. Doing the weekly supermarket shop, it is evident that supermarkets are communicating their sustainability credentials through a very clear communications strategy.
As Tesco says on the walls of its stores – “every little help.”
And they make it easy for their customer.
The changes in government and major corporations, particularly the investors, attitudes to the ESG agenda are a cause for concern. It is not helpful. But the business case remains. For Tesco, it is a core business value. They define core purpose “Serving our customers, communities and planet a little better every day means we always keep customers at the heart of what we do, while also reflecting our responsibilities to the communities we serve and to society more broadly.
“Every little help makes a big difference
- Helping to reduce food waste globally and ensuring surplus food goes to those in need
- Making it easier to live more healthily
- Sourcing great quality, affordable and sustainable products
- Making a positive contribution to the communities where we operate.
Every little help makes a big difference – it’s the value we live by to ensure we serve our customers, colleagues and their communities a little better every day. It really captures how, when we add up all the small things we do, Tesco can make a big difference to the issues.”
The aspirational messaging is all over the store; it is part of the store experience, and it is not preachy or used to justify higher prices. I have written here before about the unfortunate legacy of ecotourism – I’ll not repeat the reasons here.
easyJet holidays: Making sustainable choices easy
easyJet holidays has just published its first Impact Report. easyJet holidays has a clear, easily communicated client-focused objective: to provide “brilliant holidays at unbeatable prices, whilst extending this to make more sustainable holidays mainstream through three key pillars of its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy, ‘Holiday Better’.” [The emphasis throughout is mine]
- “… working with hotel partners to achieve globally recognised sustainability certifications to ensure all customers can make better holiday choices at no extra cost.” It is about empowering consumers to make better choices, their choices. The focus is on their experience.
- “By supporting locally owned businesses and communities, easyJet holidays is looking to maximise the benefits and minimise the negative impacts of travel and tourism. … offering customers experiences …. while providing a range of socio-economic benefits to the local economies including employment for local partners in destination.” Benefitting customers and locals to make a better holiday.
- easyJet holidays is taking responsibility “By embedding sustainability into business decisions and behaviours, easyJet holidays is looking to drive meaningful change within the industry, prioritising working towards solutions to the biggest issues and asking better of themselves and partners in the supply chain.”
Selling sustainability without the ‘S’ word
TTG has just published “ Five ways to sell responsible travel (without mentioning the S word…), challenge suppliers, use words that customers understand and connect with them, they are buying an experience, and experiences always have many dimensions to them. Lata’s head of sustainability and impact, Megan Parkinson, explained: “Responsible travel initiatives really enhance [customers’] experiences, and when they come back then they want to book a similar holiday in the future.”
Mirjam Peternek-McCartney, founder and chief executive of travel PR firm Lemongrass, called on audiences to make it easy for people to choose responsible travel. That is what Tesco and the other supermarkets are doing with such success.
Carlos Aurelio Santamaria has written a piece for the Tourism and Society Think Tank on “Sustainable Tourism: balancing price and value for a responsible future” He provides some very useful commercial advice – Highlight economic and personal benefits: It is essential to communicate how sustainable options can be affordable and also offer direct benefits to the tourist, such as more authentic experiences or improvements in their well-being.
- Facilitate the adoption of sustainable practices: Sustainable options should be easy to find and use, without requiring additional efforts from the traveller.
- Implement tiered reward programmes: Developing incentive systems that recognise and reward different levels of commitment to sustainability can motivate a wider range of consumers to adopt responsible practices.
I am highlighting the first three, but there are more. Take a look at his article which has examples, and it is admirably concisely written at 800 words.
