Take for example the plastic bag. Now we are all familiar with the use and practical disposal of plastic bags: we use them to transport our groceries from the supermarket to home, and then we use them as lunchbags or even trash bags. Well, Carrefour has now publicly declared war on these plastic villains. According to them, since plastic bags last so long, they are inevitably destined to contaminate the environment.

Apparently the word ‘recycling’ might not bear much significance for Carrefour strategists, however. This would undoubtedly undermine their strategy to make more money by charging for plastic bags (at 5 centimos a pop) based on the fact that they are dangerous for the environment. To the lowly consumer, however – this new strategy could be perceived as a slap in the face. After all, in times of crisis, the idea is to save money, not spend more of it.

The entire issue begs the question: does big business take consumers for fools? Do they really think that putting a positive spin on spending more is going to convince consumers to shop at Carrefour?

Case in point: I have the opportunity to go to Carrefour, or any other friendly neighborhood hypermarket. How is this strategy going to convince me that I have the urgent need to go to Carrefour instead of the other hypermarket? Well, for starters – now I need to buy a shopping cart to take the groceries from the storefront to the boot of my car. Given this one-time expense, I suppose it might be worth it!

But on the other hand, now I have to buy trash bags as well. I can travel the same amount of time to another hypermarket just down the road, where they not only have similar prices, but they also provide plastic bags for customers and let’s not forget the new plastic toys they give to the youngsters for free! One day at Carrefour headquarters, the strategy department will wake up and suddenly discover they have really put their foot in it.

But just in case you might be fooled by thinking about all those plastic bags that are now out of circulation – I would invite any business person to take some corporate responsibility.

Here is the final lesson for Carrefour: Now that we have retired plastic bags from all our checkout counters, we no longer are investing money in any type of advertising – at least from the “plastic bag standpoint.” No more Carrefour logos blowing in the wind (according to them), littering the streets of France and surrounding areas. So now the name Carrefour is not only off the streets, but “out of sight, out of mind.” Those brilliant cost-savings are just another example of what makes those Carrefour geniuses so credible.

In the final analysis though, anyone is smart enough to realize what these businesspeople are trying to tell us – we are now ecologically responsible…. After years of littering your streets, we are now prepared to clean up our act.

Times of crisis? Carrefour’s response? Make them spend more with all the money they don’t have. Name a few buzz words like “green” and “environment” and hope those consumer fools actually fall for it.