For many, thoughts of important issues such as climate change have somewhat paled into the background as the focus on the ever-worsening cost-of-living crisis consistently ranks as the number one concern across the world. 

It’s not that people have stopped caring about our planet. But it would seem that the notion of positive climate action is somewhat stunted by the misconception that being ‘eco-friendly’ costs more. The truth of the matter is that actually, in taking small actions to save money for the extra cost of bills, we’re often doing more good for the world than we realise. 

Did you recognise that the following penny-saving ideas have actually been doubling up as small, individual steps towards bettering your carbon footprint and overall impact on the environment? 

Eating more veg and buying less meat. 

Reducing the number of take-aways ordered or meals eaten out. 

Turning off unused appliances. 

Buying ‘pre-loved’ items – clothes, toys, books, household bits and pieces. 

Going on domestic holidays, rather than abroad. 

It seems that we are a nation of ‘accidental environmentalists’ – people who are ultimately trying to save a little bit of money, but the actions in doing so are actually quite good for the world around us. It’s a win-win – we like the feeling of ‘doing our bit’ for the planet, and we love the knowledge that we’ve personally benefitted by doing it.  

Now, the question is how brands can tap into this idea, because doing so will increase sales figures and potentially attract new brand loyalists. 

There’s a connotation when it comes to purchasing weekly groceries that products will automatically cost more if they’re ‘environmentally friendly’. Perhaps once upon a time this was true, but now, with government mandates pushing all brands to consider their operations, it couldn’t be more false. 

As a brand, your first priority and strongest marketing message should be how you save your customers money. Any initiatives you take that can allow your products to be perceived as good-value or ‘better’ than your competitors will boost your bottom line and place you into a powerful position as a consumer favourite. 

As far as being planet-friendly goes, the key is to portray your eco credentials as a secondary benefit. Taking this approach allows your customers to feel like they are doing their bit for the environment, whilst preserving their own financial interests. 

Saving customers money doesn’t necessarily mean dropping your prices. It’s about identifying new ways to market or invest in your product or simply providing advice on how to get more value from a purchase.