To mark the UN Environment Day, TWRAmericas undertook a series of discussion groups with Brazilians to look not only at the issues as they relate to consumers in Brazil but also broader issues of sustainable development and ethical consumerism. The groups approached a broad range of subjects including current behaviours and responses to a range of ‘green’ advertising and activities by brands. Their are a series of 5 video clips with the thoughts of the participants. Please feel free to add your own own comments or thoughts on the issues discussed.

As the second set of clips show, Brazilians, or a certan sector of Brazilian society is well travelled and well informed and has customarily adapted experiences from other societies and cultures. Our groups included individuals with direct first hand experience of visiting other countries and shared their thoughts on how Brazil compares to the practices elsewhere… The clips can be viewed with annotatios by clicking here

To mark the UN Environment Day, TWRAmericas undertook a series of discussion groups with Brazilians to look not only at the issues as they relate to consumers in Brazil but also broader issues of sustainable development and ethical consumerism. The groups approached a broad range of subjects including current behaviours and responses to a range of ‘green’ advertising and activities by brands. Their are a series of 5 video clips with the thoughts of the participants. Please feel free to add your own own comments or thoughts on the issues discussed.

These first two clips are focused on experiences as they relate to the culture here in Brazil and the Brazilian consumer.

As is evident, there are a number of issues which give this global issue a local inflection: the broader issue of how citizens both see themselves as consumers and how they belive they are treated as consumers by brands and by government bodies. Education and the poor state of the public education system is a key problem that needs to be addressed in any attempts at modifying consumer behaviour. As respondents discussed there are certain practices, such as recycling that are nothing new in the Brazilian context, however they have in the past been driven by economic neccesity. As the country continues to grow economically one wonders how this will affect such behaviour and attitudes. Finally, there are other unique factors including the great imapct of social network communities such as Orkut, whch anyone wishing to understand the Brazilian experience should be aware of… The clips can be viewed with annotations by clicking here

Having recently commented on the possible changing tastes on the Brazilian menu, more evidence this week form a report that places Brazil as the country with the second highest proportion of vegans in the world. Of the total population 28% are seeking to eat less meat and diary based products. Perhaps in reflection of such shifts in consumer behaviour, two of the nations biggest meat producers in the country (Perdigão and Sadia) have introduced new vegetarian product lines. Both companies have reportedly argued that this niche market is something they see as gaining prominence in years to come. Veganism is just one of a number of examples of communities which are increasingly being served via specialist websites and online communities such as Orkut. More to come on this subject… but if you have any thoughts on being a vegan in Brazil we’d love to know more.
thanks to JBOnline