THE CONCEPT OF GREEN MARKETING

Definition of Green Marketing

The concept of green marketing was developed in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Yet
defining green marketing is not a simple task. Indeed the terminology used in this area has
varied, it includes: Green Marketing, Environmental Marketing and Ecological Marketing.
Green or Environmental Marketing consists of all activities designed to generate and facilitate
any exchanges intended to satisfy human needs or wants, such that the satisfaction of these needs
and wants occurs, with minimal detrimental impact on the natural environment.
Green Marketing incorporates broad range of activities including product modification, changes
to the production process, packaging changes, and modifying advertising. Green
marketing focuses on satisfaction of customer needs and wants with no or minimum harm to the
natural environment.
Why Green Marketing is Important ?
It is well known that increasing production and business activities are polluting the natural
environment. Damages to people, crops, and wildlife are reported in different parts of the world.
As resources are limited and human wants are unlimited, it is necessary for marketers to use
resources efficiently, so that organizational objectives are achieved without waste of resources.
So green marketing is inevitable. There is growing interest among people around the world
regarding protection of natural environment. People are getting more concerned for environment
and changing their behaviour for the protection of environment. As a result of this, the term
"Green Marketing" has emerged. Hence, marketers are feeling their responsibility towards
environment and giving importance to green marketing.
Importance of Green Marketing
The question of why green marketing has increased in importance is quite simple and relies
on the basic definition of Economics: Economics is the study of how people use their limited
resources to try to satisfy unlimited wants. Green marketing looks at how marketing activities
utilize these limited resources, while satisfying consumers wants, both of individuals and
industry, as well as achieving the selling organization's objectives.
Reasons of using Green Marketing
Possible reasons for firms increased use of green marketing are:
- Organizations perceive environmental marketing to be an opportunity that can be used to
achieve its objectives;
- Organizations believe they have a moral obligation to be more socially responsible;
- Governmental bodies are forcing firms to become more responsible;
- Competitors environmental activities pressure firms to change their environmental
marketing activities;
- Cost factors associated with waste disposal, or reductions in material usage forces firms
to modify their behavior.
Sustainable Marketing
Green marketing is characterised by a focus on environmental issues, and by an emphasis on
reducing environmental damage. Sustainable marketing is the next natural step forwards, with an
emphasis on progress towards greater sustainability. Sustainable marketing is the process of
planning, implementing, and controlling the development, pricing, promotion, and distribution of
products in a manner that satisfies three criteria: 1) customer needs are met, 2) organizational
goals are attained, and 3) the process is compatible with the ecosystem.