In the current climate, countries throughout the world have been working together to help save the planet and reduce waste. In doing this, the word ‘eco-friendly’ has been mentioned a lot, where products are becoming more suitable to the environment (whether it be recycled or easier to decompose). However, why are prices for these items so incredibly high?
Understandably, the manufacturing cost must slightly increase due to having to recycle/reuse materials, however this significantly increases the prices. With the growing demand for more eco-friendly products, independent and big brands have been marketing environmentally friendly products to sell. For instance, many sporting clubs (eg Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea (Nike)) have been selling football shirts made out of recycled plastic bottles, but this raises the prices massively (with the cost already high as it is).
When I went to Cornwall this summer, my parents and I were wandering around towns like Fowey, St Ives and Mevagissey: three places where most independent shops sell a variety of eco-friendly products. These products, however, were twice (if not, triple) the price they would be if they were not environmentally friendly, meaning shelves were full and hardly any had been sold.
People want to feel that they are helping save the planet by purchasing eco-friendly products, but can’t do so if the price is extremely high. Therefore, wouldn’t customers surely just be returning to the non-friendly products which are just considered as a ‘safe bet’?
Although businesses of course have to make a profit and earnings, surely there is happy medium: saving the planet, buying products and making a profit?
What do you think?
By Grace Wells
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