Czechs want to be environmentally friendly, but often do not know how to identify environmentally friendly, yet quality products. This is where eco-labels and their ambassador Ekolífek help them. He is also the main character of the marketing campaign of the Czech Environmental Information Agency (CENIA). The campaign is starting these days and its aim is to increase consumer awareness of ecolabels and to attract new holders among producers over the course of 2 years.
The eco-labels, which are administered by CENIA, a contributory organisation of the Ministry of the Environment, include the national labels Eco-friendly product and Eco-friendly service and the EU Ecolabel. Its criteria are set directly by the European Commission and the product certificate carries the same weight throughout the EU.
“Ecolabels are becoming increasingly important because most people realise that we are facing an unprecedented environmental crisis and without them as consumers we have no chance of solving it. So more and more consumers are looking for eco-friendly products, but they are encountering greenwashing and the stigmas of inferior quality and efficiency that accompany these products and services. That’s why we called on Ekolífek to help us break down these scourges,” said Miroslav Havránek, CENIA’s director, at the launch of the campaign. The campaign started with the first day of December.
Ekolífek is the umbrella element of the campaign. He is a fictional being who has volunteered to help with the whole project. He is a bit of an elf, a bit of an elf and a bit of an ent, he is also the guide of the certification. But mostly, he’s very eco. So he’s perfect for the role of ambassador for the project.
We want more eco-products in Czech shops
How does the campaign want to achieve this? “First of all, we will point out that the organic origin of the product is not at the expense of quality and efficiency, the proof of which is also part of the criteria during the certification process. At the same time, we will stress that only products that are truly environmentally friendly throughout their entire life cycle, from production to use to recycling, can be awarded the eco-label. The products certified by us do not play at being ecological, but are truly ecological,” added Miroslav Havránek, adding that these messages are intended primarily for the end consumer, which is the first line of the campaign.
The second is to actively reach out to the producers themselves and educate them about the eco-label and the benefits it brings. “First of all, the eco-labels awarded by CENIA are protected by the Ministry of the Environment and, in the case of the EU eco-label, by the European Commission. By obtaining them, you immediately become a member of the premium club of the world’s leading manufacturers who care about the environment. This gives you a competitive advantage because, as already mentioned, customers are increasingly looking for these products. This certification is becoming increasingly important in the case of public, so-called green procurement, where public institutions will have to take the environmental friendliness of products into account in tenders,” Miroslav Havránek explained the advantages.
This is in fact the largest campaign to promote eco-labels in the history of the Czech Republic. The campaign itself will take several forms.The start of the campaign is mainly linked to an outdoor and online campaign to attract increased attention to the topic. At the same time, long-term direct marketing will be launched, targeting producers but also retailers, with the aim of gaining more space for organic products in their offer. Customers will be targeted, among other things, by a series of contact events in shopping centres.
You can find out more about eco-labelling at www.ekoznacka.cz.
