The Consumer is bossThe Consumer is bossErwan Saouter, PhDErwan Saouter, PhD

External Relations - Fabric & Home careExternal Relations - Fabric & Home care

Western EuropeWestern Europe

UNICE – Brussels – June 24, 2002

Procter & Gamble

Western Europe Fabric and Home care Business

E. Saouter – UNICE – June 24, 2002

P&G’s number one customer

E. Saouter – UNICE – June 24, 2002

She or He… is a

• ShopperShopper

• UserUser

• CitizenCitizen

E. Saouter – UNICE – June 24, 2002

3 premises:

• Number one: without consumers Number one: without consumers

there is no marketthere is no market

• Number 2: understanding our Number 2: understanding our

customers and their priorities is vital customers and their priorities is vital

to stay in the marketto stay in the market

• Number 3: consumers decide. Number 3: consumers decide.

E. Saouter – UNICE – June 24, 2002

On pack information: a On pack information: a

consumer need or a consumer need or a

stakeholder need?stakeholder need?

E. Saouter – UNICE – June 24, 2002

The dilemma

• Find the right balance between Find the right balance between

too little and too muchtoo little and too much

• Provide the info that is meaningful Provide the info that is meaningful

to the consumerto the consumer

• Space on pack is limited, we need Space on pack is limited, we need

to find alternativesto find alternatives

E. Saouter – UNICE – June 24, 2002

A small story from 1994:

Our failure to communicate product’s environmental benefit.

E. Saouter – UNICE – June 24, 2002

Ariel Futur

E. Saouter – UNICE – June 24, 2002

Critical Review Panel

• Weight reductionWeight reduction

• Less energy & emissionsLess energy & emissions

• Less transportLess transport

• RefillsRefills

E. Saouter – UNICE – June 24, 2002

Ariel Futur: What happened?

Market share and value decrease with time

E. Saouter – UNICE – June 24, 2002

Why?

• Consumers did not vote for it?Consumers did not vote for it?

• Information provided was not Information provided was not

good enough?good enough?

• Information provided was not Information provided was not

credible enough?credible enough?

E. Saouter – UNICE – June 24, 2002

What are the alternatives?

• More info on pack?More info on pack?

• More labels including EcolabelMore labels including Ecolabel

• Other ways to communicateOther ways to communicate

E. Saouter – UNICE – June 24, 2002

Code of Good Environmental Practice

E. Saouter – UNICE – June 24, 2002

P&G experience via the web

Level 1: Layman language

Product info

Level 2: more technical

Level 3: very technical

Level 1: Formula detail

Level 1: Product Human & Env safety assessment

E. Saouter – UNICE – June 24, 2002

Feedback from Danish stakeholders

• Transparency highly appreciated

• Content relevant and comprehensive

• User-friendly

• Innovative

• …. But we did not yet win (more) with

customer…..

E. Saouter – UNICE – June 24, 2002

Expand project to Europe

E. Saouter – UNICE – June 24, 2002

Product Info: a proposal?

Austria

Belgium

Denmark

Sweden

France

Germany

Holland

Italy

Spain

Finland

Portugal

Greece

Switzerland

Powder

Liquid

Tablet

DASH

DASH 2in1

ARIEL

DREFT FW

BONUX

VIZIR

Frame Formula

Human safety

Environment Safety

Chemical definition

How does it work?

Chemical Safety Assessments

1. Choose your country

2. Choose your category

3. Choose your product

4. Choose your subject

Chemical specific information (no need for continuous update). This information can also be access directly from the Product Info page.

Need for continuousupdate

Performance

E. Saouter – UNICE – June 24, 2002

Conclusions

• Need to provide the right info to

consumers (what counts to them)

• Need to find new way of

communicating

• Need for more and more dialogues

with our stakeholders.