supermarket
Analysis
LAST-MINUTE GIFTS: THE GREEN Alternative
December 22, 2007
As you, Mr. and Ms. Grocer know, approximately 95% of the population is brave enough (or maybe, foolhardy enough?) to venture out to the local mall less than three days before Christmas, for some last-minute purchases for the family. Many, seeking to avoid the mall, will work this in with their grocery shopping. So in grocers gone green we are now seeing certain "green theme gifts" in the end caps.
According to Wikipedia, in 2004 the VISA credit card organization reported that over the previous several years VISA credit card spending had in fact been 8 to 19 percent higher on the last Saturday before Christmas Day than on Black Friday. SMGN suggests that in 2007, this trend will be accentuated, with Christmas falling on a Tuesday.
As expected, along with seasonal merriment this year was a scenario of "controlled chaos": the mall parking lot filled to capacity, store shelves depleted of merchandise and unprecedented waits in checkout lines.
Truth be told, there are few people on the planet who finish Christmas shopping in its entirety comfortable weeks or months before the holiday. For the rest of us, it seems there is always at least one individual on our respective shopping list(s) who gets overlooked; hence the eleventh-hour gift run is made to our neighborhood retail outlets.
The difference this year is that green is becoming a religion, a political force, and an identity statement. In a capitalist world this means retailers will be feeding it with gift items. But in prerusing the items on end caps this year SMGN investigators found the expected response a little insulting. It seems they perceive their own customers as flakes.
Here are just a few gift suggestions retailers feel will make "Mother Earth" proud:
- Green Label Organics – Green Label is a producer of predominantly casual wear clothing such as t-shirts. This clothing is manufactured from cotton and other seeds untreated by pesticides and fungicides, and grown in soil built strong through crop rotation as opposed to synthetic fertilizers. Weeds are controlled through hand-hoeing and cultivation rather than unnatural herbicides. At the end of the day, this means that the wearer of this naturally-processed clothing needn’t worry about the huge health issue of skin cancers or the lesser issue of common skin allergies.
- World of Good Jewelry – For those on your Christmas list who have a penchant for costume jewelry and accessories, particularly necklaces, bracelets and purses that the late naturalist, Steve Irwin and his family might have fancied in the Australian outback. Made of shells, stones and other naturally-occurring materials, World of Good boldly distinguishes itself by "respectfully assist(ing) artisans by providing access to fair wages, safe working conditions and long-term economic sustainability," according to its corporate website. That said, the pieces are genuinely attractive in a natural, uncomplicated way.
Earth Shoes – Slightly lower in price than Ugg, this international footwear line will surprise you with its diversity of offerings: everything from sturdy, conservative officewear shoes to recreational boots to comfortable bedroom slippers. Geared toward extreme comfort as well as functionality, one of the company’s amazing testimonials at the corporate website proclaims: "Earth shoes put you at a slight incline so your back naturally relaxes into the most comfortable position. The other bonus is you burn more calories wearing earth shoes because you are on a slight incline. I have lost about 10 pounds since buying these shoes." For people who refuse on principle to wear leather or other clothing articles made from animal hides, Earth Shoes also accommodates with a line of sharp-looking Vegan footwear.
SMGN has come across numerous retail items geared toward exceptional physical health while conserving precious natural resources and even bringing fair trade into the public eye. Nothing wrong with that. What touches the nerve is the ideological profiling we see. Green and red is being replaced with khaki and orange as the new holiday colors, representing a breaking away from tradition. The word "Christmas" is avoided, of course. It's not PC. But that doesn't stop products like the Pampered Shiva Body Bath from filling half a row of the holiday gift ideas end cap. And it doesn't explain why grocers feel compelled to display Green Label tee shirts with all the wrinkles. Is wrinkly the new natural? Toss those ironing boards along with your bras gals!
Bottom line, SMGN thinks it is shortsighted for progressive retailers to play to the extremist fringe. Green isn't a novelty. It is the heart of our future, if not because responsible living requires it, because your long term profits demand it. There is a market for conservative green waiting up ahead. Unless you want to be a niche retailer riding on a fad you will resist the temptation to cater to special interests.
P.S. Go ahead. You can say it ... "Merry Christmas!"
By Lisa Carvin, Freelance Reporter