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Paper Packaging Is Preferred By Consumers
Paper Packaging Is Preferred By Consumers
Packaging is often the first physical interaction between a brand and its customers. As consumer demand for sustainable packaging grows, businesses have a unique opportunity to enhance perceptions of their brands through their packaging choices.
Using sustainable packaging helps brands positively connect with consumers.
Sustainability is at the forefront of consumers’ and regulators’ minds, and the challenge for consumer brands has become clear. It is no longer a question of if brands should shift to more sustainable packaging, but how.
67% of consumers now identify as environmentally aware. In Europe, 74% of consumers consider eco-friendly packaging important.
Over the last five years, the forces pushing for sustainability have strengthened around the world. FMCG companies and retailers have made bold commitments responding to public concerns about single-use packaging waste. More recently, the Covid-19 pandemic has further reshaped the sustainability sentiment.
Concern for the environment is not normally led by legislators, more generally they are responding to interest from the general public and other interest groups. Strong pressure is now being applied to brand owners by consumers. Ocean pollution of non-biodegradable materials has become widely understood following increasing media attention.[1] Consumers are demanding products that use responsibly sourced, efficiently produced and fully recyclable packaging.
A 2020 survey found that consumers are adapting their purchasing behaviours to reflect shifting environmental preferences. 70% of consumers are actively taking steps to reduce their use of plastic packaging. Nearly half (48%) of consumers would even avoid retailers that are not actively trying to reduce their use of non-recyclable packaging.[2]
In another recent study, 75% of European consumers say the environmental impact of a product’s packaging affects their decision-making process. 77% said they would pay more for a product if it came in more sustainable packaging, with one in five willing to pay 10% or more extra.[3]
Paper packaging is preferred by consumers for many environmental and practical attributes[4], including:
- Home compostable, 72%
- Better for the environment, 55%
- Easier to recycle, 51%
- Lighter weight, 62%
- Easier to open, 41%
- Easier to store, 41%
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