Alternative to Plastic Straws in the Jamaican Market Assignment 2022

Alternative to Plastic
Straws in the Jamaican
Market
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s Note:

Project Aims and Objectives
• Development of a market entry strategy for a viable but environmentally
sustainable alternative to plastic straws
• Determining the openness/acceptance of bioplastic alternatives by the Jamaican
Market
• Identification and Testing of suitable products as alternatives to plastic straws
• To study both the macroeconomics and microeconomics of Jamaican economy
• To study the regulatory framework and the suitability of bioplastics in the
Jamaican market
• To evaluate feasibility of market entry using framework adapted from Porter’s
five forces and value chain
• To support the business model with relevant and robust data from the research
and analysis.
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Feasibility
• Porter’s five forces mainly include bargaining power associated with buyers in Jamaica, bargaining power with that of
suppliers, threat due to potential entrants in the market, threat due to large number of substitute products produced by
different manufacturers in the country of Jamaica.
• Manufacture of bio plastic straws would attract large number of customers to buy beverages and other drinks, if to those
straws that are made up of seaweed or sugarcane extracts are added some good flavors, it would add more taste and
more profits can be raised by the companies.
• This would also help to raise GDP within economy in the market and also this would help to provide employment
opportunities in the country Jamaica. Various technologies can be utilized to manufacture biodegradable straws in the
market. In this particular country Jamaica, incentives as well as various benefits are provided by the government to the
companies who work for enriching safety towards environmental standards and also things that had been the mass
interest of people in the country, therefore they engaged themselves in producing PLA straws in place of plastic straws.
• However, suppliers remain mostly aware of the fact that they are not the soul companies to provide biodegradable raw
materials for manufacture of straws and so these suppliers develop various forms of partnership with several companies
to ensure proper operations in business activities, they usually maintain bargaining power at a very moderate level.
• When there would be rapid rise in growth of companies who would start manufacturing biodegradable straws, there
would be an increasing competition in the market in terms of supplying quantity straws in the market.
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Market Trends
• Jamaican Environment Trust (JET) has remarked on the fact that reduction as well as elimination of utilization of
plastic straws would actually cause positive shift in environmental policies.
• On making voluntary agreements between government of Jamaica as well as the producers or retailers can help to
ban use of plastic while manufacturing straws in the market of Jamaica and they can turn out to be effective in terms
of demonstration of public- private collaboration while utilization of bio plastic straws that are proposed to be made
up of seaweed.
• Reduction in consumption of plastic straws can reduce pollution in the Jamaican environment by an amount of
23.4% and this would also help in recycling of materials in the market.
• Establishment of partnerships at public and private levels as well as voluntary agreements act as alternative
measures to such ban on plastic straws in the marketplace. Strategies associated with voluntary reduction would
allow citizens in Jamaica to undergo modifications in their patterns towards consumption and therefore eco-friendly
technologies would hit the environment if affordable price rates are set for those biodegradable plastic straws in the
market.
• On being able to target various problematic areas that are rising due to single- use plastics in the environment and
therefore identifying certain causes as well as management impacts may help to design ideas that would be
beneficial for manufacturing bio plastic straws in the market.
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SWOT Analysis Paper
STRENGHTS
- When one finishes with his or her drinking of liquid, he or she can just
eat the straw
- On adding flavors to this product, it would increase the sales of the
drinks and this would help companies like Loliware, that concerns on
producing biodegradable materials, to earn more number of returns in
terms of profits from beverage industries (Lane, 2018).
- The Company would help to achieve sustainable markets in Jamaica
and this would help to establish the business thus attracting large number
of consumers towards latest technologies in the market.
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OPPORTUNITIES
- Due to rapid rise in demands of customers for these biodegradable
items would enhance more amount of potential interests among other
manufacturers who want to establish compliance in accordance to
demands as well as necessities of customers (Lachmann et al. 2017).
- Farmers would avail the opportunity to manufacture biodegradable
items like sugarcane and cereals from which straws and other essential
materials could be made.
WEAKNESS
- Costs associated with research as well as development of new form of
biodegradable straws usually pose major form of weakness as customers
would show less interest in paying higher product prices for drinks
- However introduction of new technologies like manufacturing by using
seaweed and other materials would longer time to be implemented and
therefore the beverage market in Jamaica would actually suffer due to
this (Lachmann et al. 2017).
THREATS
- Large number of retail companies would actually utilize other means
like production of drinks that can be sipped without straws and this might
pose great harm in terms of vulnerability of products in the market.
- Large number of companies would start growing in Jamaica apart
from Loliware and this would increase large amount of competition in
the market.
- Certain seaweeds are also harmful for the environment therefore if
they are utilized irrespective of their several types then they may have
health impacts on human beings and animals.
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Conceptual Framework for Analysis
• Key Concepts- Single use plastics are often referred to as disposable ones, that can be used only once and they are
mostly made up of Polyethylene Terephthalate or density polyethylene (LDPE) and other such polymers and nearly 400
million tons of such plastics are being produced in the market, out of which straws as well as plastic bags are
manufactured, this actually causes production of 47% of total wastes in Jamaica due to plastic. Therefore switching to
alternative products for manufacturing straws has become a necessary concern of environmental authorities in the
countries in Africa and other parts of world.
• Theories- Sustainability adviser of Loliware has remarked on the fact that those bio plastic straws actually resemble the
same as that of plastic ones and it gives a neutral taste since it is made up of seaweed (Tamada, 2014). However these
straws must not be treated like a candy and these are sustainable towards the environment. These ingredients actually
undergo composting in the environment.
• Ethical Standards and Practice relevant to business situation- The industries that are mostly involved in production
of bio plastics are gradually shifting towards production of 2.05 million tonnes of items that are manufactured from
seaweed and sugarcane and these practices have proved to be sustainable and by 2022, introduction of new methods
towards production of straws would come into full effect in Jamaica (Fink, 2014).
• Before banning prevalence of plastic straws in the marketplace, care must be taken towards assessing the availability
towards alternatives to plastic straws in the market. Certain arrangements are required to be made in the marketplace so
that this introduction to new technology can be easily accepted in the market in Jamaica and this would pose additional
harm towards the society.
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Jamaica Country Profile
 BACKGROUND – The country is the third largest Caribbean Island with population 2.8 M,
with age structure 82% between 0-54 years.
 SUSTAINABILITY MOVEMENT – Several activists, political leaders and entrepreneurs
have dedicated their activities for championing a sustainable future.
 FREE PRESS – The free press in the country provides for awareness among the citizens
about various social and environmental concerns.
 POLITICAL LEADERS – The political situation is stable and leaders in the country are well
educated and informed about global concerns like environmental sustainability, thereby
engaging in regulating environmental standards for the industries.
 ECONOMY – The economy of the country is heavily dependent on tourism and agriculture,
thereby giving importance to the preservation of natural resources and with GDP ( Gross
Domestic Product) 26.06 B$ as of 2017 and Purchasing Power Parity 9,200 $.

Jamaica Market Segmentation
 PSYCHOGRAPHIC SEGMENTATION – This pertains to the attitudes and behaviors
observed among the individuals. In Jamaica, the individuals are environmentally conscious
as their main economy is dependent on agriculture and tourism.
 BEHAVIORALISTIC SEGMENTATION – This refers to purchasing patterns of the
individuals and their loyalty towards several brands. Jamaican people are cautious towards
the environment and prefer to use plastics as less as possible. Therefore, the ban of
single-use use plastic straws will be widely accepted by them.
 GEOGRAPHIC SEGMENTATION – This refers to the segmentation of the market into
several geographical areas. The heavily industrialized areas perceive huge amounts of
waste disposal specifically into water bodies. Therefore, several activists and political
leaders are inclined towards the development of strategies towards environmental
sustainability.

PESTLE Analysis of Jamaica
 POLITICAL FACTORS – Jamaica political stability encouraged the Western Countries to
exploit its natural resources, which has made the country and its leaders aware about the
importance of protecting the environment and its resources. Government push regulations
which influence bioplastic sales.
 ECONOMIC FACTORS – The Economy of Jamaica is recovered and heavily dependent
on agriculture and tourism which attract foreign investments. Demand for the product in the
market.
 SOCIAL FACTORS - Jamaica people & government are aware about the global
environmental issues like climate change , global warming & environmental issues.
 TECHNOLOGICAL FACTORS - The government provides full support to the individuals for
developing their technological knowledge.
 LEGAL FACTORS – Jamaica implemented several laws pertaining to the protection and
conservation of natural resources.
 ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS - The country suffers from the destruction of agricultural
lands and pollution through industrial waste disposal.

Reference List
• Shamsuddin, I.M., Jafar, J.A., Shawai, A.S.A., Yusuf, S., Lateefah, M. and Aminu, I., 2017. Bioplastics as Better Alternative to
Petroplastics and Their Role in National Sustainability: A Review. Advances in Bioscience and Bioengineering, 5(4), p.63.
• Smith-Llera, D., 2018. Trash Vortex: How Plastic Pollution Is Choking the World's Oceans. Capstone.
• Lane, W., 2018. Oceans of Plastics: Developing Effective African Policy Responses.
• Lachmann, F.L.O.R.I.N.A., Almroth, B.C., Baumann, H.E.N.R.I.K.K.E., Broström, G., Corvellec, H.E.R.V.É., Gipperth, L.E.N.A.,
HASSELLÖV, M., Karlsson, T. and Nilsson, P., 2017. Marine Plastic Litter on Small Island Developing States (SIDS): Impacts and
Measures. Swed. Instit. Mar. Environ, 4, pp.1-76.
• Fink, J.K., 2014. The chemistry of bio-based polymers. John Wiley & Sons.
• Tamada, M., 2014. Applications of Biopolymers Modified by Radiation Processing. Chapter 12 (No. IAEA-TECDOC--1745).
• Dubey, K.A., Bhardwaj, Y.K., Chaudhari, C.V. And varshney, L., 2014. Products based on bio-resourced materials for agriculture. Radiation
processed biodegradable polymers, plant growth promoters and superabsorbent polymers. IAEA TECDOC SERIES, p.75.