Will the economic downturn kill green marketing?

The news this morning that Marks and Spencer is to cut spending on the promotion of its ‘Plan A’ environmental programme poses the question “How to maintain the green marketing agenda in an economic downturn?”

There are numerous other stories doing the rounds that consumers are cutting expenditure and therefore taking price into account as a much more important decision-making factor than whether the products they are buying have a “green” identity. Certainly Justin King, Chief Executive of Sainsbury’s, seems to emphasise this point when it comes to the issue of food-miles judging by this recent news-item from the Daily Telegraph.

But one of the potential positive outcomes is highlighted in this quote from John Grant (author of The Green Marketing Manifesto) in this well-researched article from the Economic Times in India:

“There are very few instances where saving money and saving energy are not compatible, and, in that sense, reducing the impact on the environment is the only silver lining in the recessionary clouds.”

So maybe it’s just that the economic downturn could help focus our thoughts on what’s, really important to customers and the need to take innovative steps to satisfying them in a “green” way?

Your own thoughts on this issue would be welcome – how are the two issues of economic downturn and the need to be green affecting your marketing strategy?