Ethnographic study Essay -- Analysis, Whole Foods Market

This essay is an ethnographic study of Whole Foods Market which is located in Kensington, London. Whole Foods Market is a niche supermarket that sells high quality organic and natural products at high prices. In this essay, I will provide a brief orientation of ethics with regards to the concepts of Corporate Social Responsibility - macroethics and Business Ethics - microethics and the theoretical frameworks of consequentialism, deontology and virtue ethics. I will be using deontology framework in ethics devised by Immanuel Kant to assess if the marketing strategy and the products sold at Whole Foods Market support their principle of ‘organic and natural’. My ethnographic study took place at Whole Foods Market in Kensington, London. Before entering the store, I closely examined the front display windows. The products displayed include very red fresh apples that were in a stack. The apples were placed on a tray and table to provide the product with a lift and increase product visibility for all to see. Merchandised in another window, were books written by several authors whose expertise include organic foods and farming. Behind the stack of books was a poster which had a picture of each book, highlighting the authors’ names and quotes made by the authors in the book. Also posted on the display window was information about the store supporting products made by local farmers in the Kensington area. The products were sold in store and the farmers’ names were written as well as the foods the farmers were selling. Colours used by the organisation with regards to store layout and marketing posters were light brown and green which highlights Whole Foods Market green credentials to existing, new and potential customers. The layout o... ...Market making this a primary issue and placing it in their code of conduct before the business began. Lahdesmaki (2005) argued that marketing can be an ethical contract between businesses and their customers. Therefore businesses are morally obliged to inform their customers about the products in store and provide all the information necessary via marketing strategy so the customer can make informed decisions about their purchase. Whole Foods Market does display qualities of deontology framework in relation to its marketing strategy. The analysis of the organisation and its marketing strategy within deontology theory has been carried out. The supermarket performed its ethical duty by informing customers about the products in store and showing them the preparation area, thereby justifying the high prices the high quality organic and natural products are sold at.