Marketing the Impossible

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• Searching for Longevity
• A consumer perspective

Dr Tim Cooper Centre for Sustainable Consumption
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Research context

• resource productivity and waste prevention
• motivation and sustainable consumption
• marketing for sustainability
• informed choice and environmental labelling

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Objectives

• review quality of information available to
  consumers
• provide overview of the feasibility of increased
  life span information
• increase understanding of consumer attitudes and
  behaviour
• explore marketing strategies and government
  policy options
• determine further research requirements

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Methods

• overview of current labelling relating to product
  life spans
• review of literature
• detailed study of selected products
• interviews with manufacturers and trade
  associations

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Products selected

• light bulbs
• mattresses
• carpets
• luggage
• TVs / VCRs /
• DVDs

• men's shoes
• toasters
• dishwashers
• fridges
• bakeware and pans

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Search criteria 1

• Consumer protection
• manufacturer's guarantee
• extended warranty available on point of sale
  or afterwards

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Search criteria 2

• Function and use
• care instructions
• environmental labelling
• eco labels

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Search criteria 3

• Quality and testing
• British / international standards
• independent industry accreditation

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Search criteria 4

• Marketing and sales
• marketed on durability grounds
• life span label

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The search begins...

• Tangible information
• guarantees and warranties
• environmental claims
• installation, care and quality labels
• life span labels

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Tangible information
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The search continues...

• Cues
• intrinsic (physical characteristics of product)
• extrinsic (price, packaging, brand, store,
  country of origin)

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Cues
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Life span labels

• Consumer
• expectations
• desire for durability
• use of information
• information overload
• Measuring life span
• access to technical information
• cycles of use
• impact of use

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Preliminary findings
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Preliminary findings
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Ending the search?

• Life span labels
• statutory or voluntary?
• which measurement units?
• indicating repairability
• Other measures
• date stamping products
• electronic monitoring devices
• product test reports
• longer guarantees and product-service systems

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Conclusions

• Variety of means by which consumers predict life
  span
• Potential to increase useful information
• Need to increase consumer awareness and demand