Is meat, dairy and poultry going out of style? A recent poll conducted by Deliveroo found that 20% of people in the UK will be ditching meat during the upcoming Christmas holidays with 46% having only begun eating plant-based food products within the last two years.
The overriding perception of choosing to follow a more sustainable diet is because it is healthier but climatarianism is increasingly being cited as the motivation for changing eating habits. 70% of respondents to this year’s Waitrose Food and Drink report stated that their foods carbon footprint was important to them, thus highlighting that the increase in the consumption of plant-based foods may also be influenced by climate concerns.
Climatarianism itself, is defined in the Cambridge Dictionary as “a person who chooses what to eat according to what is least harmful to the environment”. Essentially a more flexible approach to making your diet more carbon-friendly, it’s not all or nothing.
For example, beef and lamb have a far higher climate impact than pork and poultry, so switching to the latter could be enough for some consumers. Whilst other options could include shopping carefully to avoid food waste, or choosing seasonal, local and fresh food.
Consumers want the choice and a climatarianism lifestyle provides just the ticket.
The downside facing brands and consumers alike who want to be more immersed in a climatarian lifestyle is awareness.
As Daniel Selwood in The Grocer points out, who has the time to speak to their favourite tea brand about carbon offsetting before enjoying a morning brew? Or has the financial means to afford a £43 bottle of gin that is ‘climate positive’?
With supermarkets already saturated with brands galore, how is a consumer supposed to know if a product is climate-friendly?
From committing to carbon footprint labelling to using more expensive local suppliers, we look at four key ways that brands can highlight that their products are more sustainable than their competitors.
Messaging
Have you considered the messaging you are sending out to your consumers across all your social media channels and traditional forms of media? Is it consistent and do they all say the same thing?
Thought-leadership
Emerging trends provide an opportunity for individuals to position themselves as expert commentators within the media. Consumers care who they buy from and if there is a credible, authentic leader at the helm you will be able to build trust, that will convert into sales.
News hijacking
The post COP 26 media agenda has been very climate conscious; this is the perfect opportunity to engage with journalists who are looking for a company comment, an eco-friendly product or a business to join the discussion. Perfect for getting your brand name in the media and becoming a part of the conversation.
Give your social media channels a makeover
Social media can be an extremely powerful tool when used in the right way, it helps to provide brands with a direct link to their audience but means you can interact in a fun and engaging way.
Building a relationship and loyal fanbase in a market that is increasingly becoming more competitive is important for long-term success. Engaging with consumers asking them questions and providing interactive content is a great way to encourage engagement and this will create a dialogue between the brand and its consumers.
When social media is activated properly around a purpose, brands can build a large and very loyal community that does the marketing on its behalf!
If you would like to discuss how an integrated PR and social media strategy could help position your brand at the forefront of a new audience, get in touch today.