A recent survey conducted by the Natural Marketing Institute on behalf of P&G’s Future Friendly program found that 69 per cent of Canadian moms care about protecting the environment, versus only 45 per cent of moms in the U.S. and 48 per cent of moms in the U.K. With many (53%) Canadian moms buying as many eco-friendly products as they can, they are already taking the important small steps to reduce their family’s eco footprint.
Mom’s tend to rely on OTHER mom’s when it comes to picking and choosing the right products for their households. One name people look to is Kathy Buckworth. She is the author of five books, including “The BlackBerry Diaries: Adventures in Modern Motherhood” and her latest, “Shut Up and Eat: Tales of Chicken, Children & Chardonnay. She is a TV personality and a well respected public speaker. Proctor and Gamble asked if I would like to ask her some questions in regards to their Future Friendly brands and making those decisions for our families when it comes to affordability and sustainability.
Last year I was able to interview Victoria Maybee, Manager of External Relations, for P&G Canada. We were discussing Proctor & Gambles Sustainability Plan and their FUTURE FRIENDLY promise to their consumers. Now I am just an average mother and buyer of the household products. I shop to save money and am relieved (somewhat) if I am not endangering my family and the environment completely with my product choices. But what makes a well known author, speaker, blogger like Kathy Buckworth stand behind a corporation like Proctor & Gamble?
I have four kids, so like most Moms, I’m pretty busy and barely have time to do the laundry once, let alone re-do it if it doesn’t work the first time. As well, I’m conscious of the amount of packaging my family produces, in addition to the cost of having a family of six. I use products like Tide Cold Water from P&G’s Future Friendly line because it works the first time, uses cold water (good on budget as well as energy efficient), and I know P&G has reduced their packaging and transportation costs in producing a concentrated formula. My kids aren’t in diapers anymore, but compared to 2007, in 2010, 15 million pounds fewer of disposable diaper waste was produced by Moms using Pampers Swaddlers and Cruisers. That’s a huge difference. Statistics like that impress me.
What is your take on ‘Green Washing?
I think as consumers we have to do our homework and make sure that the products we choose work for our environmental outlook, our budget, and our efficiency. I’m careful to choose products that will do all three.
What do you feel companies like P&G need to do to convince consumers to not only use friendlier products, but their own future friendly products?
Consumers already love P&G products because they work well; knowing they are taking great steps to ensure they are less harmful to the environment is the next message. The website www.futurefriendlybrands.ca not only offers information on their products, but also tips on how to take other steps to reduce our eco footprint.
According to the survey by TNS Canada one in three Canadian moms doesn’t believe green home cleaning products are as effective as the brand names. One in four isn’t convinced that green products are more environmentally friendly. What do you think it takes to build trust with brands green efforts? Do you think cost is a big issue?
I think trust will come with information being shared as well as seeing that the products actually work. The great thing about the Future Friendly brands is that they are at the same price point as the other P&G products, and they work just as well. There’s a trust factor that comes with dealing with a company like P&G as well. They do their homework.
What does Kathy Buckworth use to clean up!?
I am lucky to have a young son who actually loves cleaning the house! He loves to Swiffer in particular, actually. For laundry, my Mom always used Tide, and I continue to use it, although now in the cold water liquid, versus the huge box of powder she used to have. And I love the Cascade dishwasher action-packs which save on water (no pre-rinsing required, no phosphates, and they work).
As a mother and a public speaker, how concerned ARE the parents you speak to about sustainability and earth friendly products? Do you think economics have a large impact on the choices families make?
I think most families are concerned if not aware of the impact they’re making on the planet. Economics certainly have an impact on all of us. Finding products that are less harmful to the environment, and not cost prohibitive is a win/win, in my opinion.
And thank you Kathy for taking time to do this.
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