According to the World Bank, in 2019, the population in urban areas was nearly 55.7%, and the population in urban areas appears to be increasing rapidly in the years to come. It is estimated that in 2050, the number of people living in urban areas is projected to grow to 68% in Asia and 90% in Latin America. Looking at Europe in 2050, the level of urbanization is expected to be around 83.7%. What does urbanization have to do with pest control, you may think – this is exactly what we will dive into in this blog post.
What consumers think of non-toxic pest control
It may be argued that at the end of the day, customers simply want PCO’s to get rid of rats by all means. However, the interest among customers concerning what methods are used for pest control is on the rise. Consumer demands are changing on a global scale, as consumers tend to gain more insight into all processes in societies and businesses. Today, consumers are able to follow their online purchases every step of the way from the minute, they order it, and until the minute it is delivered to their front door. They can follow business practices and evaluate whether businesses ‘walk the talk’ in terms of CSR and other business-related aspects. Consumers’ expectations for companies to run the business in a sustainable manner may also be applied to the pest control industry. This indicates that you, as a PCO might as well want to consider what you should say to your customers when they ask you what you use for rodent control. Non-toxic pest control tools are a way to accommodate the interest and request of the consumers.
The use of integrated pest management practices has helped reduce instances of risks posed by chemical pesticide products to people in the urban environment. Stringent regulations concerning the use of chemical products have also helped reduce risks to humans. Moreover, the emergence of traps and environment-friendly pesticide products has helped control pest populations with minimal impact on the environment. But do consumers even have an opinion on eco-friendly products and traps?
“People everywhere are becoming more aware of risks to our environment and are demanding and willing to pay for more and better non-toxic solutions to pest problems,” says Aleksi Anttinen, CEO of Delecon Oy.
Not only are consumers aware of environmental risks concerning pest control, but they are in many cases demanding non-toxic pest control to an increasing extent and willing to pay for it.
More people, more traffic, and more rats
The increasing urbanization has led to changes in consumer lifestyles. With the increase in workload and busy lifestyles, the time to keep residential and working space pest-free has been reduced. This leads to further pressure on pest control technicians and other public workers, whose job is to service, clean, or maintain public areas.
The PCO’s at Delecon Oy, which is a Finnish Pest Control company, have experienced dense traffic in the cities becoming an increasing problem when servicing rodent traps. It could take up a lot of time just driving a few kilometers in Helsinki due to the traffic. Therefore, the CEO of Delecon Oy, Aleksi Anttinen, decided that they would use TrapMe’s traps, which are rat and mice traps that report on a catch. Thereby, PCO’s save time checking traps, as they only have to check the traps that report on a catch. Moreover, when the traps are ‘on’ they continuously send a signal about being open and active.
Read more about why Delecon Oy uses TrapMe
Digital pest control solutions
Urban areas are more susceptible and appealing to pests, and in the case of rats, more people lead to more trash and therefore, more for the rats to feed on. In addition, a rapid increase in urbanization and industrialization is one of the major factors encouraging the demand for pest control. As mentioned above, consumers demand non-toxic pest control, and this creates a set of expectations for the PCO’s.
Are these consumer expectations of pest control services only relevant to highly populated cities? Not really. In fact, Australia witnesses a strong demand for pest control services even in cities with a low population density. The reasons might to some extent be related to climate changes, as they also impact pests.
Since the majority of people will be living in urban areas by 2050, a series of problems might occur, unless effective and digital solutions are implemented. Smart City technology can help to ensure good living conditions for citizens, as it uses data and technology to figure out where the human resources are best utilized. Smart City technology can monitor traffic, the weather, power consumption – and rodent activity. With TrapMe’s digital traps, the PCO gets an alarm, whenever a rat or a mouse is caught in a trap, that being in the sewers, inside a building, or outside a building. The traps collect data on a number of catches and their locations, which can help you focus on areas most attractive to pests. If you want to spend your time as PCO more effectively, while working to improve the urban environment, you may want to consider using digital traps. TrapMe’s digital trap can work as either a surface rat trap, a rat trap installed in the sewer system, or mouse trap, but either way, it is a non-toxic tool for rodent monitoring and control.
Pest control in urban areas is among the key factors that are encouraging the growth of the industry and urbanization have led to a higher demand for products that offer proper pest management. Moreover, consumer demands for pest control products and services along have been witnessing a growing trend. Consider using TrapMe or other digital pest control tools, as the rapid urbanization trend will require more digital solutions in the years to come.
Read more about how TrapMe fits into Smart Cities
This blog post is written mostly based upon a confidential report conducted on the Asia Pacific Pest Control Market in 2021 issued by TrapMe and Pelsis.
Sources:
- TrapMe’s Asia Pacific Pest Control Market report (confidential)
- European Commision. Developments and Forecasts on Continuing Urbanization
- Haas, Kristin (2021). 5 Ways Smart City Technology Benefits Cities and Residents
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