Embarrassment of Product Choices 2

Conclusion Proposals to the Government

C.1. Government management

The government should guarantee to all the right to genuine information on a product’s environmental qualities and qualities of use. This applies to both consumers and large private or public buyers. It is not just a matter of establishing often disrespected standards or legislations often dictated by lobbies. Furthermore, the State must “buy better” by making huge savings, while improving the use and environmental qualities of what it buys, for the well-being of all.

Public purchases of around 100 billion euros per year are powerful tools of economic policy, provided one knows how to buy products or equipment that meet the real requirements, not technical or commercial ones. Public expenditure must take into account the use and environmental criteria, which will ultimately reduce the tax burden. For example, it is quite possible to better choose (and better design) school equipment while making substantial savings, and similarly for hospital equipment. This is also possible for all products and public facilities, from the choice of the public trash cans to urban lighting. The public commission, if it had more interest in the field of use and the environment, could be a powerful lever for the innovation of use.

In purchasing, innovation is needed to boost economic activity and thus generate growth. Those who hold the purse strings need to be better guided in their purchases. For example, the innovation of the ...