Life's Pleasures Quote by Stuart Rose

Rose’s line is a neat bit of corporate realism dressed up as consumer empathy: yes, price still matters, but the old bargain-only story no longer explains what people buy. Coming from a retail executive, the phrasing “more than ever” functions like a pressure gauge. It signals that ethics and provenance aren’t fringe concerns to be handled by a niche “green” line; they’re mainstream variables that can move sales, brand loyalty, and reputational risk.

The intent is partly descriptive, partly strategic. “Good value” is the baseline concession to recessionary instincts and the relentless price comparison culture retail helped create. Then comes the pivot: “how ... products are made.” That’s the loaded clause. It smuggles in labor practices, factory safety, supply-chain transparency, environmental impact, and corporate accountability without naming any one scandal. The ambiguity is useful: it lets the speaker align with moral concern while retaining flexibility about what reforms, if any, are required.

The subtext is also defensive. When a business leader acknowledges values-driven consumption, he’s preempting the critique that retailers profit from invisible costs paid by workers and ecosystems. It’s a way to say: we hear you, we’re adapting, stay with us. The line belongs to the era when fashion’s sweatshop controversies, food’s traceability revolution, and social media’s instant outrage collapsed the distance between production and purchase. Consumers don’t just shop; they investigate, share receipts, and punish brands publicly.

Rose is essentially describing a market where “value” has expanded: not just what you pay at checkout, but what it cost someone else along the way.