Reducing Consumer Goods Packaging Waste in Japan

Team Boston

4/25/08

The Problem

• How do you convince all Japanese to aspire to unpackaged goods?

The Problem

• How do you convince all Japanese to aspire to unpackaged goods?– Let’s pick a subgroup we can influence and who can

ignite a trend on our behalf

some

The Problem

• How do you convince all Japanese to aspire to unpackaged goods

some

purchases that they make for themselves?

minor

And let’s focus on items without the

“cultural baggage”:

Not gifts

Not luxury goods

Not bananas!

• If we’re taking away a beloved aspect of the shopping experience (packaging), we need to provide something to fill the void

So, what could that be?

Cultural Insights

• The Japanese readily embrace technology as an integral part of their lives

– Japan consistently ranks near the top of almost every global list in technology adoption, including broadband, PCs, and mobile phones

• Source: “For Young Asians, The Net Dominates Media Use,” Forrester; 26 November 2007

• Innovation as fashion: young Japanese (late teens and twentysomethings) often wear their personal electronics as accessories

Cultural Insights

• Japanese urban life is marked by a bag-toting culture

Idea: Carry-All Totes

• Design a fashion-forward, high-tech tote bag for young Japanese to buy and carry their convenience store purchases

Idea: Carry-All Totes

• This isn’t just a simple tote bag. It would:

– Be equipped with a payment device (bar code or RFID chip) which also ties in to an online points program

• Online point system tracks how much waste you’ve reduced• Potential for social component tie-in: group bagging goal-

setting, city vs. city challenges with prizes, etc.

Idea: Carry-All Totes

• Have a sleek, instantly recognizable form and design– It would be designed by a well-known fashion house

(e.g., Takashi Murakami), thus bestowing it instant style credibility (important among this youth demo)

• Although this starts as a youth-centric fashion statement, the act of hi-tech “bagging” becomes the trend that the masses embrace over time.

Other Details

• Q: Who would sponsor this?– A: Government or environmental NGO would

fund design work and marketing efforts

• Q: Distribution?– A: Totes should be sold through youth

clothing/fashion and accessory stores as well as electronics retailers