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Japan carbon footprint brand plan raises scepticism
by David Blecken
27-Aug-08, 13:19
TOKYO - A new programme in Japan which calls on companies to display labels detailing the product's carbon footprint has drawn doubts over its appeal to the country's consumers, despite support from the likes of Sapporo, Matsushita, 7-Eleven and Aeon.
According to the country’s trade ministry, the labels will provide consumers with a breakdown of the levels of carbon dioxide emitted in various stages of a product’s life cycle, including manufacture, distribution, disposal and recycling.
But even if widely adopted, observers within the advertising industry are largely sceptical as to the impact of the programme on consumers in a market with minimal understanding of the carbon footprint concept.
“I don’t think it will make any difference whatsoever,” says John Goodman, president of Ogilvy Japan, dismissing the idea as a “gimmick”.
DDB Japan chief executive and president Takeshi Takeda agreed, pointing out that consumers “do not care much” about the issue of carbon dioxide emissions.
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