I had a great debate the other day about whose responsibility it is to market socially responsible products -- or at least that's the watered down version of the issue.

The issue came up when we saw some programming about kids and obesity, kids and clothing choices, and kids and products targeted to them that may be too old for them. As a marketer, I took the stance that companies are only providing what society wants, we don't determine it. Case in point with organic foods...as they've become more popular, companies have started manufacturing more of them. Or the hybrid cars...the technology has existed for decades to offer these cars, but only recently have consumers been willing to pay for them. I said the company is responding to marketplace cues and providing services and solutions to what consumers demand.

The other side of this coin is that companies should only provide those things which are healthy and socially responsible. The argument also goes that today's companies are perpetuating the ills found in society by not creating demand for more healthy areas but by flooding the marketplace with low quality and unhealthy products, all given momentum by campaigns that support this lifestyle.

What do you think? Who has the responsibility here? And no taking the easy route by saying that it is a partnership between companies and consumers!