Spotlight: Sustainability in the Consumer Product Sphere

By Kelsey Howell

Are you looking to make sustainability a core part of your business strategy?

At W5, we understand that sustainability is not just an ethical concern, but a business essential. It’s one way we help our clients commission projects that address supply-line longevity, resource scarcity, and environmental regulation.

As the world evolves and changes, businesses need to adapt and innovate. That's where W5’s marketing research expertise comes in. We believe finding the right balance is key to success. While a premium reputation for environmentalism can elevate a brand's image, consumers may react negatively to changes they see as cost-cutting or "cheap."

With W5's product analysis, you can engage with consumers to identify preferred product components and understand attributes motivating their preferences. By empathizing with core benefits, you can not only survive an environmental overhaul but also employ it as a marketing opportunity.

In this spotlight post, we showcase how our research helped a pet food brand understand how bird and small pet owners are thinking about more sustainable ingredients for their pets.

Case Study | Sustainable Pet Product Research

A leading pet food brand sought to increase sustainability of their supply chain by switching to a new food formulation. To safeguard the transition, they asked W5 to conduct detailed product research on the sustainable ingredient options available to their brand.

Approach

To achieve these goals, W5 conducted a large quantitative survey of pet owners within relevant species categories. The study polled owners about their existing knowledge of ingredients, then asked participants to evaluate a wide array of sustainable options.

Results

Consumers did not prioritize conventional ingredients over sustainable alternatives offering similar product benefits. Furthermore, consumers viewed sustainability as an attractive and innovative product benefit in itself. As sustainable product formulations were favored yet not well-known within the pet food category, they presented new marketing options for the brand.

Interested in integrating supply-side changes with your overall marketing strategy? Set up a call with the W5 team.