Showing posts with label consumers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label consumers. Show all posts

Monday, July 4, 2011

SC Johnson Introduces Windex® Mini and Invites Consumers to Make Greener Choices




SC Johnson Introduces Windex® Mini, Hopes to Revolutionize Use of Cleaning Concentrates

Company Invites Consumers to Make Greener Choices, Help Lead the Change

RACINE, Wis., July 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — With today’s launch of Windex® Mini, a concentrated refill pouch that uses 90 percent less plastic packaging than a traditional 26 fluid ounce trigger bottle, global environmental leader SC Johnson is taking another bold step to help consumers make greener choices.



Concentrates use less packaging, decrease shipping impacts and reduce waste that ends up in our nation’s landfills. Yet sales data shows U.S. consumers prefer not to refill their household cleaning bottles. This means stores won't stock concentrates and companies hesitate to create them. With this test, SC Johnson wants to understand how to motivate consumers and retailers to consider trading up from traditional cleaning methods to a greener choice.

“By conservative estimates, a flexible pouch saves six times as much plastic waste that goes into a landfill compared to a traditional bottle,” said Fisk Johnson, Chairman and CEO of SC Johnson. “Refilling with a concentrate is an example of a very small behavior change that could make a real difference in minimizing waste. But many people don't want the inconvenience. We want to crack the code and figure out what it would take to make concentrated refills an accepted – even demanded – choice.”
Leading the Change, Learning Along the Way.





The Windex® Mini concentrated refill pouch launch comes on the heels of Johnson’s speech at the 2011 Fortune Brainstorm Green conference in April. He spoke about the challenge of getting U.S. consumers to adopt concentrates, and his remarks received an enthusiastic response. Thus began a go-to-market plan to get Windex® Mini concentrated refill pouches into the hands of U.S. consumers in less than 15 weeks.

“The environment isn’t top of mind in most consumer purchases right now, but it needs to be if we’re going to address some of the challenges that future generations could face,” Johnson said. “What we try to do at SC Johnson is get product choices out there that work well and also have a better environmental profile than the ones that came before them.”

Windex® Mini concentrated refill pouch delivers the streak-free results consumers expect from the 75-year heritage of the Windex® brand. In just three easy steps – cut, pour, add water – consumers can refill a clean, single 26 fluid ounce Windex® bottle with cleaner. To get the revolution rolling, the product is being sold directly by SC Johnson at www.scjgreenerchoices.com in three-packs of “snip ‘n’ pour” pouches.
It's About Dialogue

With Windex® Mini concentrated refill pouch, SC Johnson hopes to gain valuable insight into how Americans use concentrated cleaning products.

“We want to create an open dialogue and get feedback from consumers once they give Windex® Mini concentrated refill pouch a try,” said Kelly M. Semrau, Senior Vice President of Global Corporate Affairs, Communication & Sustainability. “We know this initial test won’t be perfect, but to create real change we need to hear what consumers want and need, and learn as we go.”

The company invites Windex® Mini concentrated refill pouch purchasers to visit www.scjgreenerchoices.com to post comments and critiques about their experience with the product.
Small Change, Big Difference

The trigger bottle for Windex® Original glass cleaner is already produced with 50 percent post consumer recycled content. Choosing to refill with one Windex® Mini concentrated refill pouch has an immediate positive impact:

* Requires 90 percent less plastic packaging than a 26 fluid ounce trigger bottle - enough to make 6.5 ballpoint pens
* Avoids transporting 22.4 fluid ounces of water - nearly 1.5 pounds by weight

If SC Johnson can prove that concentrates will sell, and convince retailers to stock them, it could make an even bigger impact. People buy approximately 21 million bottles of Windex® Original glass cleaner each year. If just 20 percent of those were refilled, each year it could:

* Save 350,000 pounds of plastic - that's 26 million ballpoint pens
* Avoid using 175,000 pounds of virgin plastic - that's 3 million soda bottles
* Avoid transporting 735,000 gallons of water - that's more than 6 million pounds by weight

Online Forum for Change

To support the launch of Windex® Mini concentrated refill pouches, the company is expanding its corporate website, www.scjohnson.com, to include a “Greener Choices” section. This forum, available directly at www.scjgreenerchoices.com, covers four main topic areas: Conserving Energy, More with Less, Reduce & Recycle and Everyday Alternatives.

Greener Choices includes tips on small, easy choices families can make, as well as an area where people can post their own environmental tips and recommendations. In addition, the site offers perspective from well-known environmental blogger Scarlet Paolicchi of Family Focus Blog, and FAQs from SC Johnson about its own green practices.

Also part of Greener Choices is a new carbon calculator that SC Johnson is launching in partnership with Conservation International (CI). The easy-to-use tool, designed by CI, offers a detailed analysis of a family's carbon impact based on home energy use, vehicles, diet and more. It also offers suggestions to lower your impact and a chance to offset it.

This isn’t the first time the 125-year-old privately held company has led the charge to green the consumer products industry – learn more about the SC Johnson’s sustainability initiatives in the 2010 Public Report.
About SC Johnson

SC Johnson is a family-owned and managed business dedicated to innovative, high-quality products, excellence in the workplace and a long-term commitment to the environment and the communities in which it operates. Based in the USA, the company is one of the world's leading manufacturers of household cleaning products and products for home storage, air care, and pest control. It markets such well-known brands as GLADE®, OFF!®, PLEDGE®, RAID®, SCRUBBING BUBBLES®, SHOUT®, WINDEX® and ZIPLOC® in the U.S. and beyond, with brands marketed outside the U.S. including AUTAN®, BAYGON®, BRISE®, KABIKILLER®, KLEAR®, and MR. MUSCLE®. The 125-year-old company, with more than $8 billion in sales, employs approximately 12,000 people globally and sells products in virtually every country around the world.

Media Contacts:
Jam Stewart
262-260-2440
jmstewar@scj.com

Ashley Papanikolas
312-297-6906
ashley.papanikolas@edelman.com


Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Beer Industry Contributes $223.8 Billion to U.S. Economy


President Barack Obama drinking beer

8 Mar 2011 18:47 Africa/Lagos

Beer Industry Contributes $223.8 Billion to U.S. Economy

PR Newswire

WASHINGTON, March 8, 2011

Despite Economic Downturn, New Study Shows Quality Jobs, Solid Wages, and Strong Overall Economic Impact in 2010

WASHINGTON, March 8, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new economic impact study shows America's beer industry, made up of brewers, beer importers, beer distributors, brewer suppliers and retailers, directly and indirectly contributes $223.8 billion each year to the U.S. economy. Commissioned by the Beer Institute and the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA), the study shows that the industry generates more than 1.8 million American jobs -- which account for $71.2 billion in wages and benefits. The industry also contributed $44.7 billion dollars in the form of business, personal and consumption taxes in 2010.

"Brewers across the country, large and small, remain an integral part of their communities. Not only do they promote alcohol responsibility programs for local retailers, schools and families, this study shows they also create sustainable jobs and important tax revenues that contribute to our nation's economy," said Dave Peacock, president of Anheuser-Busch and chairman of the Beer Institute. "America's brewing industry continues to play a significant role in supporting the economy in each and every state."

"As independent businesses, America's 3,300 licensed beer distributors are proud to provide more than 98,000 quality jobs with solid wages and great benefits to employees in every state and congressional district across the country," said Larry Del Papa, president and CEO of Del Papa Distributing Company, Inc. in Galveston, Texas, and chairman of NBWA. "Beer distributors are deeply rooted in their local markets, so it's only natural that they work hard to keep their communities safe – especially by fighting underage drinking and drunk driving."

According to the study, the beer industry directly employs more than 1 million people, paying $32.5 billion in wages. Beer sales help support roughly 900,000 retail jobs, including those at supermarkets, convenience stores, restaurants, bars, stadiums, and other outlets. Supplier and induced impacts generate nearly $135.7 billion in economic activity in all industries specifically agriculture and manufacturing.

"These numbers demonstrate that our industry continues to play an integral role in providing jobs and revenue necessary to heal our recovering economy," said Joe McClain, president of the Beer Institute. "For this reason, it is important that state and federal officials consider equitable tax policies that do not unduly harm an industry that aids economic growth."

"In addition to providing quality jobs with solid wages, the three-tier beer distribution system provides transparency and accountability while offering American consumers with tremendous choice and variety – nearly 13,000 different labels of beer – at a great value," added NBWA President Craig Purser. "This time-tested, effective system of state controls, in which America's beer distributors play a critical role, works to ensure alcoholic beverages are sold only to licensed retailers who in turn are responsible for selling only to adults of legal drinking age," added NBWA President Craig Purser.

In addition to strengthening the U.S. economy, the beer industry plays a vital role in promoting responsible consumption of its products. Brewers, importers, and independent beer distributors, licensed at both the state and federal levels, dedicate significant resources to develop public safety, education and prevention campaigns and to promote federal and local programs that help reduce underage drinking and drunk driving. These efforts, along with those of parents, law enforcement, federal and state alcohol beverage regulators, educators, and other community groups, have helped contribute to declines in underage drinking and drunk driving for nearly three decades, according to government data.

The Economic Impact study was conducted by John Dunham & Associates based in New York City and covers data compiled in 2010. The complete study, including state-by-state and congressional district breakdowns of economic contributions, is available at Beer Serves America, www.BeerServesAmerica.org.

The Beer Institute, established in 1986, is the national trade association for the brewing industry, representing both large and small brewers, as well as importers and industry suppliers. The Institute is committed to the development of sound public policy and to the values of civic duty and personal responsibility: www.beerinstitute.org .

The National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) represents the interests of America's 3,300 licensed, independent beer distributor operations in every state, congressional district and media market across the country. Beer distributors are committed to ensuring alcohol is provided safely and responsibly to consumers of legal drinking age through the three-tier, state-based system of alcohol regulation and distribution. To learn more about America's beer distributors, visit www.AmericasBeerDistributors.com

SOURCE Beer Institute

CONTACT: Andrew Koneschusky, Beer Institute, +1-202-777-3553; or Emily Kuhn, NBWA, +1-202-289-2001

Web Site: http://www.AmericasBeerDistributors.com