Dr. G. Deepalakshmi MBA., MMM., M. Phil., MA., Ph. D., SET

Head, Department of Business Administration

Marudhar Kesari Jain College for Women

Vaniyambadi -635751

e-mail id:deepasenthil1979@yahoo.com

Phone: 94869 147 74

AWARENESS OF GREEN MARKETING IN RETAILING AND ITS IMPACT IN ENVIRONMENT

ABSTRACT

Green marketing refers to the process of selling goods or services based on environmental benefits.  Green selling is very much significant for a number of reasons from eliminating extravagance and to educate all the consumers about maintaining the product or services eco-friendly. Objective of the study is to identify the awareness of green marketing among retailers and to analyses the impact of green marketing on environment. This study is a quantitative type of research and it involves a descriptive research design. Quantitative research is obtained based on the structured questionnaire framed. Researcher has taken Primary Data through Questionnaire and Secondary Data through Journals, Magazines and Internet. Researcher Used Bar Diagram, Pie Diagram and Chi-Square Analysis for Interpretation.

Key words: Analysis, Green Marketing, Interpretation, Research Methods

INTRODUCTION

Green marketing refers to the process of selling products or services based on ecological benefits.  Green marketing is very much significant for a number of reasons from eliminating extravagance and to educate all the customers about maintaining the product or services eco-friendly.  The products produced by the producer with the concept of green marketing will be energizing the prediction of better alternatives, high quality of product or services, preserve the environment and save the time and cash of the stakeholders.  Waste contributor from the pollution increases greenhouse gas which effect the increase in global warming.  We as a producer concentrating on green marketing should concentrate on five R's which are "Refuse, Reduce, Recycle and Rot".

Green marketing concept among the producer in recent years are becoming more popular as it ensures long-term growth and by the same time it is contributing towards higher profitability.  In the early stage of producing the product with the idea of green marketing it seems that the cost of producing the product is little higher but by later days it saves money and it helps company to selling their product and service care the benefit of surroundings as a whole and producing the product the product accordingly.

Environmental issues

Environmental issues have gained more importance in business and it threat more of the common citizen and business houses. All are worked about this and more particularly deterioration of oxygen level in one atmosphere. As all are not considering environment issues as any part this raises the problem of global warming. Business houses and corporates are marketing products which may came some environmental issues. It is directly or indirectly effects the environmental issues. As a result Indian literature and urban consumers are getting more importance towards green products. Result of this is that all the business houses have better the rate of target consumers who are anxious about the green atmosphere.

Green marketing origin

Green marketing is the promotion of products that are reputed to be environmentally in safe hands. Similar stipulations which are equivalent  to Green selling or environmental selling or ecological marketing.  Business houses have in use green market as a part of their tactics. They are choosing green market as their system, polices and product due to some of the pressure from the consumer business partner, regulator, civilian group and the stakeholder.  Business houses have idea towards the environment and that put the seed towards green marketing .

Meaning of Green marketing

Green or ecological marketing consists of all actions planned to generate and aid any exchanges proposed to satisfy individual needs or wants, such as the satisfaction of these requirements and which wants occurs with minimal detrimental impact on the expected environment.

Constraints in Implementing Green Marketing:

In many Corporate use green marketing as an effort to focus on price tag or profit related issues. In implement green marketing there are many constraints faced by the cooperates. In that lack of consumer awareness stands first, all the consumer are not completely aware of green marketing they are arising some of the unwanted Questions to the marketers who are practicing green marketing.  Financial constraints stands the next problems for the corporate because all the firms will not be having same financial strengths. All the firms will not be having well furnished research and development cell, so lack of scientific knowledge is also the greater problems. Above all lack of stringent rules and spirited pressure is a greater constraints all the firms are facing while practicing.

Important four P's of Green Marketing:

Main four P’s green marketing are

• Production
• Price fixing
• Place choosing

• Promotion activities

All the above P’s are the core Ps which are common for even general marketing.

Production:

The business firm should concentrate more on produce the product with more crash on customers than the competitor. The basic for this is to recognize customer ecological needs and then they need to develop the products accordingly to satisfy the needs customers.

Price fixing:

Environmental profit is an added bonus. This is the deciding dynamic between firms products and quality of the products produced. Consumers will often buy any goods with high price. When there is the chance of getting any additional product value on the same product they are buying.

Place choosing:

Green products are positioned mostly in the common selling place.  A small number of customers will go out of market place and they are buying green product very soon for the sake of unawareness that the product are in common market place. Place chosen for green marketing are emphasizing in store promotion, visually by attractive displays, recycling the resources and more interest on environment benefits.

Promotion activities:

Green marketing is reinforcing environmental trustworthiness by using renewable marketing and communication techniques and practices.  Promotion of green marketing includes advertising activity, publicity, sales promotion, direct marketing and on point of purchase promotions. Reasons towards “Go Green”.

All the firms decide to go green their systems, policy and products due to the pressure they are facing from the customer side. Other than the above there are many reasons they are.

• Green policies will always helps the firm reducing the cost of the products producing.
• Green firms shall shape all these products for future reputations and can concentrate on reaping on the same products can make it as advantage in the future also.
• Green Marketing will always take the firm towards building strong image in the minds of the consumers as they are given importance.
• Socially responsible firms are getting leverages when they are entering into foreign countries for exporting their products.
• Many of the firms are using Green marketing as marketing tools they are operational in the field without promote the real truth of it.
•  Government law in most of the civilized countries, protect the consumer and the environment from dangerous goods or product produced by the firm.
• Government established several regulations to control the harmful waste product by the firm and they even produce environmental license to make all the firm towards soundly responsible.
• Competitive pressure is also another reason for which firm goes towards green marketing.
• Cost or profit are the major issue faced by the firm. In same cases disposal of waste is the major issue so the firms are reexamining the process of their production and they are trying to concentrate on the minimizing the waste products and utilizing the waste products as inputs of production for some other firm.
• Challenge faced by the firm on green marketing there is the certification need for the organic product checking. There is lack of standardization is the green marketing. Some regulatory bodies are to be involved in providing certification for green products. There should be proper standard quality control for labeling and licensing for all the products are under one roof of green marketing.
• Green marketing is the fresh concept. All the consumers are not much known towards environment safety and even the treats they use to follow on the products. Many consumer know about many things but they are not much on green marketing.
• All the firm faces problems in investing money in the business firm supporting green marketing. They are expecting immediate result for the investment they made but that is not possible care of green marketing as it is of made of long term benefit on investment opportunity. Firm are very ugly towards their return on investments. They re------ lot of patience and they need to ensure that there should be no immediate result for the investment made.

Rules of green marketing

The certain rules to be followed to implement green marketing in the business they know your customers thus is concerned on the knowing their customer and their issues. This concept attempts the marketing to attempt on customer issues and problems. Next rule is that to educate their customer that the attempt take by the corporates is to safeguard the environment and for its safety.

Business firm should follow almost genuinely and should follow transparency in following all attempts like green marketing Campaign, business policies for environment affairs. Reassuming the buyer is the next rule to be  followed customer must be believe that the product performance should not be name sake like environment friendly.

Fixing on higher price is the next rule to be followed that means the price should ensure on high quality ingudiants. All the marketers should try to give their customer to opportunity participate the polices they are framing for the benefit of the environment.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

·         To identify the knowledge of green marketing among retailers.

·         To analyses the impact of green marketing on environment.

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

·         To enable the stakeholders to identify about the uses of green marketing.

·         This study enable to know about the retailers’ alertness on green marketing.

·         To enable all the producers to know about green marketing impact.

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

·         Research is done by researcher on 100 retailers only.

·         This paper cannot be generalized with all the retailers.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This study is a quantitative type of research and it involves a descriptive research design.  Quantitative research is obtained based on the structured questionnaire framed.

Research Type:

The qualitative research undergone by a review of existing literature. Quantitative research undergone by distribution of questionnaires to retailers.

Sample Design:

Convenience sampling method was undergone by the researchers for the research.

Sample size:

Sample size for the research is 100 retailers.

Data Collection Method:

Researcher has taken Primary Data through Questionnaire and Secondary Data through Journals, Magazines and Internet.

Tools Used:

Researcher Used Bar Diagram, Pie Diagram and Chi-Square Analysis for Interpretation.

DATA ANALYSIS AND DATA INTERPRETATION

TABLE – I: PERIOD OF RETAILERS BUSINESS

INTERVAL	RESPONSE	DEGREE	CUMULATIVE DEGREE
5-10	60	216	216
11-15	23	83	299
16-20	10	36	335
21-25	5	18	353
More than 25 yrs.	2	7	360

 Interpretation

From the above table it is interpreted that 60% of people are busy in retail business for 5-10 years, 23% of people are engaged in retail marketing for 11-15 years, 10% of people are engage in retail business for 16-20 years, 5% of people are in retail sector for 21-25 years.

TABLE – II: PERIOD OF RETAILERS AWARENESS ON GREEN MARKETING

RETAILERS INTERVAL	RESPONSE	PERCENTAGE
1-2	44	62%
2-4	18	30%
4-6	4	8%
TOTAL	66	100%

RETAILERS INTERVAL	RESPONSE	NOT RESPONSE	TOTAL
1-2	44	18	62
2-4	18	12	30
4-6	4	4	8
TOTAL	66	34	100

The above data are actual frequency

Expected frequency (data) table

Oi	Ei	(Oi-Ei)/Ei
44	40.9	0.234
18	21	0.428
18	19.8	0.163
12	10	0.4
4 4	5.28 2.72	0.0
Total		1.225

Degrees of freedom

v       = {(r-1) (c-1)} -1

         = {(3-1) (2-1)} -1

         = {(2) (1)} -1

         = 2-1

         = 1

Table value

At 5% level of significance for 1 degrees of freedom the value from chi-square table is 3.84.

Inference

Calculated value is not greater than table value. So H0 will be accepted.

That is retailer undergoing business for long time are aware of green marketing.

TABLE – III: PERIOD OF RETAILERS BUSINESS

S. NO	INTERVAL	RESPONSE	PERCENTAGE
1	5-10	60	60%
2	11-15	23	23%
3	16-20	10	10%
4	21-25	5	5%
5	More than 25 Yrs	2	2%
TOTAL		100	100%

 Interpretation

From the above table it is interpreted that 60% of people are maintaining the retail business for 5-10 years, 23% of people are managing in retail business for 11-15 years, 10% of people are engaged in retail sector for 16-20 years, 5% of people are engaged in retail business for 21-25 years.

TABLE NO – IV: AWARENESS OF GREEN MARKETING

S. NO.	CRITERIA	RESPONSE	PERCENTAGE
1	YES	66	66%
2	NO	34	34%
TOTAL		100	100%

Interpretation

From the above table it is interpreted that 66% of people are of green marketing and 34%of the people are unaware of green marketing. 

TABLE NO – V: PERIOD OF RETAILERS AWARENESS ON GREEN MARKETING

S. NO	INTERVAL	RESPONSE	PERCENTAGE
1	1-2	44	66%
2	2-4	18	27%
3	4-6	4	61%
4	6-8	-	-
5	More than 8 yrs	-	-
TOTAL		66	100%

Interpretation:

The above table says the interval the retailers know about green marketing are 1-2 interval 66% of respondents, 2-4 interval are 27% of respondents, 4-6 interval are 61% of respondents.

TABLE NO – VI: PRACTICES ENCOURAGING GREEN MARKETING

S. NO	OPTION	RESPONSE	PERCENTAGE
1	Avoiding Plastic bags	38	57.5%
2	Using Paper bags	15	23%
3	Using solar energy	4	6%
4	Using LED lights	3	4.5%
5	Gifting Seed items	6	9%
TOTAL		66	100%

Interpretation:

The above table represent the practices which are practicing by the retailers on green marketing. Majority of the retailers are avoiding plastic bags and instead they are using paper bags for the purpose of distributing the products.

TABLE NO – VII: PERCENTAGE OF PRICE DIFFERENCE ON GREEN MARKETING

S.NO	INTERNAL	RESPONSE	PERCENTAGE
1	1-2%	40	60.5%
2	2-3%	17	26%
3	3-4%	9	13.5%
4	4-5%	-	-
5	MORETHAN 5%	-	-
TOTAL		-	100%

Interpretation:

From the above table retailer say they have price difference in green marketing in different interval such as 1-2% are 60.5% of respondents, 2-3% are 26% of respondents, 3-4% are 13.5%.

TABLE – VIII: IMPACT OF GREEN MARKETING IN ENVIRONMENT

S.NO	CRITERIA	RESPONSE	PERCENTAGE
1	Environment Safety	15	23%
2	Environment Protection	14	21%
3	Better and healthy life	-	-
4	Customer Satisfaction	13	20%
5	All the above	24	36%
Total			100%

Interpretation:

From the above table on  impact of green marketing ,23% of respondents say that Green marketing have impact on  safety environment, 21% of respondents say that Green selling have impact on  protecting environment, 20% of respondents  say that Green promotion have impact on  satisfying the customer and 36% of respondents say  all the above have shock on Green marketing

TABLE – IX: IMPACT OF GREEN MARKETING IN DEVELOPING ENVIRONMENT

S. NO.	CRITERIA	RESPONSE	PERCENTAGE
1	CSR	13	20%
2	Safety and Security	18	27%
3	Customer satisfaction	15	23%
4	Eco-friendly Process	20	30%
5	Any other	-	-
TOTAL		66	100%

Interpretation:

From the table 20%of the respondents says green marketing concentrate on CSR,27% on safety and security ,23%for customer satisfaction 30%for Eco friendly process

FINDINGS:

·         60% of the retailers are undergoing business for 5-10 years.

·         66% of the retailers are aware of green marketing.

·         From Chi-square analysis the researcher shall drive the result as retailers undergoing business for long time are compulsory aware of green marketing.

·         58% of the retailers are avoiding plastic bags for distributing the products to consumers.

·         61% of the retailers increase the price on the product or services for undergoing the concept of green marketing.

·         All most all the retailers says that there is greater impact of green marketing on preventing environment.

SUGGESTIONS:

·         All the retailers shall go for green marketing to prevent our environment with Eco-Friendly aspect.

·         In the early stage it may be increasing the cost but of the sometime it is profitable.  So, retailers concentrate more on it.

CONCLUSION:

Green marketing refers to uplift our environment eco-friendly.  Retailers undergoing with the concept of green marketing have more impact on the society.  Customers are satisfied with the concept of green marketing.  Retailers undergoing business for long run are aware of green marketing

References

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