Join SustainAbility in The Guardian's online debate on consumer behaviour change

24 Feb 2011 – Event

From noon to 3pm (UK) today, SustainAbility chairman Geoff Lye is a panelist in The Guardian’s online debate on consumer behaviour change.

The consumer-driven sustainability revolution never materialised. We know that some consumers decide which tomatoes to buy based on their provenance or which shampoo to buy based on carbon footprint, but the great majority don’t.

This live panel discussion will explore some of the more challenging elements of this movement:

• Are consumers going to respond when they already live such busy lives, and what to do about the large group of consumers who are struggling to get by financially and cannot worry about the future?

• Companies have spent decades refining their marketing and advertising strategies. Can they bring the same level of commitment to encouraging consumers to change their buying and consuming habits?

• What are the most effective strategies for behaviour change and what has been tried and failed?

• Is the carrot always better than the stick and what creates long-term change as opposed to a one-off change in buying decisions?

• Is it the consumers’ responsibility to change or wouldn’t it simpler and more effective if companies were to start choice editing by withdrawing their most environmentally most damaging products?

Join Geoff and the other panelists here. If you miss the live event you can find the full transcript in the same location.