Alan Rownan
Ethical Labels analyst, Euromonitor International,
United Kingdom

Abstract

In 2015 sales of packaged food, soft drinks and hot drinks products bearing at least one ethical claim stood at USD792 billion; a tangible manifestation of the increasingly pivotal role of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Hiding an unfavourable ethical scorecard from discerning consumers no longer remains an option, what with the bright spotlights of social media and global landscape of interconnected consumers, always just one swipe away from a negative story and a potential sales bottleneck. There is a re-imagining of potential within the CSR space taking place, as global players adopt a progressively proactive, rather than purely reactive stance to driving value from ethics

THE POTENTIAL FOR ETHICAL LABELLING AND THE RISE OF CSR IN DEVELOPED MARKETS

The game is becoming less about eliminating the negative, but about promoting the positive and driving value sales from an ethical disposition across several key platforms, including lifestyle and personal choices, environmental and sustainability claims, and animal welfare claims.

DIFFERENTIATION IS THE NAME OF THE GAME

For each category within packaged food, soft drinks and hot drinks, there are underlying narratives that require unique analysis aimed to inform players in food and beverages how leveraging the value of corporate social responsibility can offer access to increasingly demanding consumers. This article will attempt to shed some light on the methods being utilised by global players.

The USD792 billion listed above requires segmentation by degree of necessity. USD595 billion in retail value sales of products across packaged food, soft drinks and hot drinks bearing a recycling claim does not tell a great deal about the move toward sustainable packaging. The USD5 billion in sales of products with a terracycle cl ...