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Do you value sustainability when it comes to your choices as a consumer? The Chartered Institute of Marketing has recently revealed that its annual poll of ‘packaging offenders’, which has revealed that consumers want more sustainable packaging.
The survey that was carried out, included 2,000 adults in the UK. Almost half of those who took part stated that Amazon is the worst brand for creating excess packaging. 9% said that they thought that TESCO uses too much packaging, followed by eBay at 7%. The remaining companies are ASDA (6%), Sainsbury’s (6%), M&S (6%), ASOS (5%), Boohoo (5%), and John Lewis (5%). Marks and Spencer’s and John Lewis were new entries to the table in 2021, suggesting that the unsustainable packaging or the communication of their efforts has become more apparent to consumers in the last year.
The results revealed that the vast majority of UK adults (82%) believed companies use too much or excessive packaging when delivering or selling in-store products. Additionally, 78% want more to be done by larger companies in order to promote sustainable packaging, up by 16% from last year.
Over the last 12 months, consumers behaviors towards packaging and recycling has also changed significantly. The number of people keeping their left over packaging for other purposes once it has fulfilled its original purpose, such as wrapping their own gifts, has doubled from 12% in 2020 to 25% this year.
Marketing director and expert in sustainable marketing at CIM, Gemma Butler said, “Consumers are far more switched on when it comes to the challenges of excessive packaging, especially plastics and today’s findings show it’s having an impact on brand association. Companies that therefore refuse to address their product packaging impacts risk damaging not only the planet, but their reputation too.”
A brands communication of its sustainability efforts can be influential upon a consumer and have a direct impact on customer loyalty. 30% of respondents stated that if they were to receive an order with excess packaging, it would off put them from ordering from the company again. Click and collect services were also preferred by 34% of consumers in order to save on carbon emissions.
It is clear from this survey that as a whole, consumers are becoming increasingly more conscious of the impact that their shopping habits can have on the planet. They are also expectant of companies to become more transparent with their sustainability efforts in order to become more sustainable with their own shopping habits.
