Does Sustainable Packaging Drive Consumer Interest?

Consumers are perhaps more conscious of the environmental impact of packaging than any other part of the product's lifecycle. An empty package is a very tangible reminder of the side effects of consumption and it fills trash and recycling bins quickly.

While consumers want their products protected, more than three-quarters think products are over-packaged, and for some, that changes behavior. More than one-quarter says that when they see something over-packaged, they look for something else to buy. Notably, Chinese consumers are the most likely to agree with this, perhaps because their living quarters do not leave any room for unnecessary packaging – either while "in use" or "end of use". In the U.S., the importance of recyclable, biodegradable, and compostable packaging has risen significantly (5-9% annually) since 2007.

While packaging may not be a product's most significant environmental impact, it is something that consumers (in addition to retailers) are very attuned to. For these reasons, it needs to be part of most consumer-oriented sustainability strategies. While reducing packaging can often be a cost-effective approach, switching to alternate materials can also be a successful approach – but consumers do not consider all types of packaging equally environmentally-friendly. For instance, glass is thought to be more environmentally-friendly than plastic.

While it's certainly possible to have too little packaging (no one wants crushed chips), or to make too big of a change (apparently we don't want noisy chips, either), there is much progress that remains to be made in reducing and greening the packaging that we do need.