Sneakers, sofas and smartphones
“It could also be a TV, a bike and jeans,” says Henk Hofstede, retail banker at ABN AMRO. The banker points out that the three products selected represent today’s consumers. “The extra cost has to be paid somewhere,” says Hofstede. This does not necessarily have to be the responsibility of the consumer, but can also be driven by the producer. Buying smaller amounts together would be a good idea, according to the banker. But how can you achieve this?
As a consumer, listener Hubert Krabendam does not mind paying more to improve biodiversity. “But where does my money end? It’s nowhere to be found. So, if we pay more, are we saving the world?”
Preferably new
Making products more expensive won’t solve the entire problem, according to behavioral scientist Romine. Milio Central saw it Sustainability Monitor People with higher incomes also buy more. “You’re not going to hold them back by raising prices,” says Romine. “People who already have less to spend.” According to Romine, the solution lies in changing behavior. “When we start to consider it normal we only buy what we need.” But how do you realize this?
