Belz, Frank-Martin

Marketing in the age of sustainable development.

54861

Tukker, Arnold

Charter, Martin

Vezzoli, Carlo

Stø, Eivind

Andersen, Maj Munch

Perspectives on radical changes to sustainable consumption and production.

Sheffield

2008

116-136

In this paper we investigate characteristics and drivers of sustainability marketing strategies. Based on an empirical study in the food industry, we identify four sustainability marketing strategy types with distinctive characteristics (performers, followers, indecisives and passives). Consumers are one of the main drivers of sustainability marketing strategies. Depending on the sensitization of consumers to socio-ecological problems, the perceptibility of socio-ecological qualities, the individually perceived net benefits and the availability of sustainable alternatives, we argue that the typology and drivers apply to non-food industries as well. Furthermore, we find that the incorporation of social and ecological aspects into marketing strategies also depends on the market segment in which the company competes: companies that are positioned in the premium or quality segment are more inclined to take an active stance on sustainability marketing than companies that compete in the price segment. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.