Social Marketing Actions in Small-Format Convenience Stores: The Case of Oxxo in Mexico

Abstract

Oxxo is a Mexican chain of small-format convenience stores owned by FEMSA. Over the course of 30 years, it has managed to satisfy the daily needs of its customers with stores in the Mexican Republic and in other Latin American countries. Corporate social responsibility and social marketing actions are part of its business culture: investing in communities, respecting cultural diversity and reducing environmental impacts through sustainable business practices—all of these activities are part of the chain’s objectives. In this continuous effort to be a more environmentally and socially responsible organization, they have developed social marketing actions with programmes aimed at serving three strategic areas of action: collaborators (employees), society and the environment.

In this case, we will focus on a strategic area of society: improving the quality of life of people through an environmental awareness programme called ‘Good Neighbour’. Although the programme involves activities focused on ecological education, reforestation, recycling, rehabilitation of public spaces and the promotion of health and sports, we focus here on reforestation, which seeks to reduce environmental problems and generate an awareness of change while improving the current conditions in the society where it operates. The main achievements of Oxxo are shown, together with the active role of the community involvement in this type of action.