Background of the project  Sustainable consumption is a pressing and complex issue

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Background of the project 

Sustainable consumption is a pressing and complex issue. It involves the society at large which is made up of individual consumers. Even though many consumers are aware of the importance of sustainable consumption and know what the right thing to do is, there often exists an intention/action gap.

One of the companies that promotes this idea is Oxfam Australia Trading which is not only arguably Australia's most unique retailer but also Australia's oldest and largest standalone fair and ethical trader - a legacy that they hope will continue for many years to come. Oxfam was born out of a merger between two leading international development agencies - Community Aid Abroad and the Australian Freedom from Hunger Campaign. Community Aid Abroad started in Melbourne in 1953, initially to help support health campaigns in India. Very rapidly, Community Aid Abroad grew and small local member based groups were popping up all over Australia. In the 1960's, a Community Aid Abroad Group based in Adelaide developed an innovative idea to source products produced by artisans overseas and market them for sale in Australia. By doing this, they would help provide a new and sustainable source of income for these skilled artisans as well as raising money for Community Aid Abroad's development programs around the world. With commitment to supporting the livelihoods, skill and culture of artisans and farmers around the world, Oxfam's heritage now spans more than 50 years.

The original idea from the innovative, entrepreneurial and committed community group members in the early 1960's, Oxfam Australia Trading is a subsidiary company of Oxfam Australia, which are also a member of the World Fair Trade Organisation and a Licensee of the Fairtrade Labelling Organisation. It is the principles, practices and values of these organisations that they live out every day throughout their operations in Australia and around the world. They exist to support Producers, Farmers, Artisans and their communities to help lift themselves out of poverty. By purchasing their products, Oxfam customers not only get access to some of the most unique, high quality products available in Australia, they are also able to help many communities around the world to stop the ongoing cycle of poverty and injustice that still exists within conventional trade.

They do this in a number of ways:

· Purchasing a wide variety of products from around the world through Fair and ethical trading principles

· Raising awareness of the importance of fair and ethical trade to help more Australians understand the power their purchasing decisions can have to change the world

· Ensuring they have an open and transparent supply chain

· Providing a wide range of support to their Partners from product development to marketing to help them build more sustainable long-term business models that can provide income and employment to their communities

· Providing support to their Partners to assist them with their own health, education and community programs

 Oxfam's Producers

Partnerships with Producers are at the heart of everything Oxfam Trading does. They are proud to sell their partners' products, which are always of an exceptional quality, often hand crafted, demonstrate enormous skill as well as often helping to keep traditional techniques alive.

They work with Producers to develop products and they inform us of the real value of that product. If they don't think a product will sell at the price presented, they work with the Producer to alter the product respectfully or find alternatives.

They buy the product at the agreed price and ownership transfers to Oxfam. At that stage it is their responsibility to make sure it sells. If they need to discount products as they are not selling, it is their responsibility. Their Producers are not impacted by this.

They also provide Producers with information on Australian market trends and support them with product development when needed. They aim to help our Producers develop sustainable business models that support increased income, employment and opportunity in their communities.

 Oxfam's Customers

Oxfam would not exist if it was not for their customers and their generous support of their Producers. They want to make sure that they provide the customers with the best value for money product on the market. The prices reflect the quality of the raw material, the skills and techniques used as well as ensuring their producers and farmers are paid fairly for their work.

They aim not to discount our products, as they want them to sell at the real value. This presents challenges in a highly competitive retail environment. Hence they need to ensure that we maintain a viable business here in Australia by discounting products that don't sell or lift our prices because the price of the product or the raw material has increased. Climatic events or natural disasters can also impact supply and prices. As they do import a lot of product from overseas, movements in foreign currency rates can also impact their prices. When this happens, they do their utmost to ensure that customers understand the reasons for price rises and always offer a range of price points so there are always alternatives for our customers for a wide range of budgets.

1.Identification of the relevant consumer behaviour and report on Oxfam's Australian consumers in terms of their demographics, psychographics, shopping habits, motivation and media use. (Does the report talk about relevant consumer behaviour of Oxfam's Australian consumers? Are the demographics, psychographics, shopping habits, motivation and media use of these consumers discussed or is there just a general story on these factors?)

2.Evidence of these aspects of consumer behaviour and characteristics of Oxfam's Australian consumers based on factual information gathered from secondary sources, that is, information to help define the consumer behaviour and characteristics of Oxfam's Australian consumers. (What is the current state of this behaviour? Is it a norm in the Australian population or is it a behaviour exhibited by only a proportion of the population? What is the profile of the proportion of the population who adopted this behaviour? What is the profile of non-adoptions? Their age, gender, education, social class, lifestyle, household composition, etc.)

3.Detailed analysis and application of consumer behaviour concepts/models (for example, perception, emotions, motivation, attitude, learning and memory, group influences)

4.Development of managerial recommendations based on consumer behaviour theories