Optician India

As an industry we are constantly surrounded by plastic and plastic products. Though these products serve one of the greatest purposes of providing clear vision, as an industry it is our duty to make them more eco friendly and sustainable.With increased awareness among the consumers, the overall trend for all consumer products is inclined towards more conscious and sustainable shopping. Recent consumer study by Forbes, highlights how there is an increase in willingness among the consumers to pay more for sustainable and eco friendly products.

Check out some stats about how in recent years, Gen X consumers’ preference to shop sustainable brands has increased by nearly 25% and their willingness to pay more for sustainable products has increased by 42%. Modern day consumers across all generations are now willing to spend more for sustainable products.

The awareness and trend has increased from 58% to 90% across all generations in just the past 2 years.

Nearly 90% of Gen X consumers are willing to spend an extra 10% or more for sustainable and eco-friendly products [1].

Corporate adoption of sustainable products is a great indicator about the change in consumer needs. Industry leaders are now being more aware and are working on several initiatives to help make eye care products more sustainable. Consumers are known to be more inclined towards brands and products that are more environment friendly.

With an increasing number of environmentally conscious brands and consumers, it is important to know what we can do as eye care providers to support this Green Revolution.

There are simple steps that you can follow to offer an environment friendly eye care services to your consumers

1. Biodegradable material

Offering or manufacturing product lines with more sustainable products is a great way to start. Using the new star material Bio-acetate instead of acetate is a simple change that can make the product biodegradable and more eco friendly. It is made from renewable resources and meets the consumer demands. They are considerably easy to de-compose compared to traditional acetate frames which might take centuries to decompose.

The French brand Moken is worth checking out as they are known for its ecological wooden glasses, and they have launched a new collection of 18 frames that promise to be "100% bio-compostable," made from bio-acetate, and with some models paired with natural materials promising to decompose in 120 days upon contact with compost.

2. Give another life to the glasses:

Though we want to sell many glasses to make profits, it might be a great idea to give old glasses another chance. Pro-moting re-using the glasses as one of the services can help you attract a whole new sector of the market who is always trying to be more sustainable. Just like big corporations and brands, this can be your independent initiative that will help you set apart from the competition. Along with re-using existing glasses, you also have an opportunity to build trust and upsell any other sustainable products to positively impact your revenue instead of thinking recycling will kill new sales.

3. Donation and recycling rebates:

Everyone loves rebates and special discounts. Donation of old frames or recycling used contact lenses is a great way to promote sustainable eye care. Apart from offering re-use spectacle glasses option, people can also donate old / damaged glasses that can be reused for the underprivileged population or parts can be reused for refurbishing spectacle glasses.

But offering only a recycle-bin in one corner of your clinic is not enough motivation for someone to travel and drop in the spectacle glasses or contact lenses. Offering rebates or special discounts are a great way to reward the consumers for doing something positive for the environment. This will benefit all the stakeholders as the consumers get rewarded for a good effort, practitioners now have another opportunity to interact with the patient and serve their needs if any, brands can partner with such initiatives to show their commitment to sustainability and glasses or contact lenses will go through a dedicated recycling process.

4. Sustainable packaging

This is another great way to share your message/initiative with the consumer. Sustainability should be a constant theme in your process and it includes sustainable packaging as well. Ensuring all the packaging material is as recycled or recyclable as possible. This will help tell your brand story and highlight your efforts to help mother earth.

There are several biodegradable and eco-friendly options available to help you offer the best products at the best price. It might impact your short term revenue but it will surely give you a great long term return on investment.

Conclusion

It is important that your story is consistent and you believe in sustainable solutions. Start cleaning your office and make it as eco-friendly as possible. Train your staff to talk about sustainable solutions. Use social media to promote your initiatives and attract a whole new consumer sector. Make sure to update your website with the same details so the consumers are aware that it's not just a recycling box sitting in a corner but you take sustainable solutions seriously and you care about mother earth.

References

1.https://www.forbes.com/sites/gregpetro/2022/03/11/consumers-demand-sustainable-products-and-shopping-formats/?sh=161e07736a06

1.https://us.fashionnetwork.com/news/Sustainable-eyewear-is-finally-in-sight,1335776.html