Do Customers Really Care About Sustainable Packaging?

It seems there’s never been a better time to launch a sustainable offering. Let’s face it - we’ve reached a point where it’s pretty tough to argue with the fact that our planet is in some serious trouble. More and more companies are embracing sustainable options whether it be with their products, packaging, or business model, and consumers increasingly say they want brands that have purpose and support their eco-conscious values.

But when it comes to your company, you of course still have to think about feasibility and results.

So you may wonder - do your customers really care about sustainable packaging? And even if they do care, is it enough to impact their purchase habits?

Survey Says…

A 2020 study of approximately 19,000 adults showed that nearly 70% of consumers place importance on a brand’s sustainable practices. When it comes to making a purchase, these consumers (age 18-65+) really value a brand’s dedication to environmental awareness.

In fact, 50% of CPG growth in food, drug, dollar, and mass merchandisers over a 5-year period was a direct result of products that were marketed as sustainable.

So what makes something sustainable, anyway? For those who are new to the eco-friendly party, the concept of sustainability refers to “the avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance.” (Thanks, Google.)

What that means is taking measures to conserve vital natural resources like minerals, forests, and water to basically help keep the planet alive.

Big brands see this as big business, and it’s clear that the general population is starting to pay a LOT more attention to environmental considerations in all areas of life. Consumers are becoming more and more aware of the importance of sustainable packaging when it comes to issues like clean air and renewable energy. 

Government agencies are enacting change, and many retailers put in serious effort to rethink their packaging process to better appeal to the masses and more importantly, help our planet.

Those D*mn Millennials

Millennials account for the largest segment of the world population, so you should definitely take what they value into consideration.

For this group born between 1981-1996, topics like climate change, poverty, and social justice are at the forefront of their minds, and they actively seek brands and products that align with their personal values.

They are pretty darn concerned about what companies they choose to support, heavily leaning to patronize local businesses and make more eco-friendly purchase decisions overall than their GenX predecessors.

One global study found that of all customer age groups, millennials are the group that most consistently cough it up for sustainable products, with 3 out of 4 surveyed millennials saying they are willing to pay more for such offerings.

Spending More on Sustainable

Millennials aren’t the only ones shopping sustainable, though. More than half of consumers say they are willing to spend more on sustainable products, and approximately 57% of consumers are open to adjusting their typical purchasing habits to help reduce environmental impact.

Nielsen projects that the U.S. sustainability market could reach $150 billion in sales by 2021.

Of course, many companies want to appeal to consumers while keeping costs low, and often equate being sustainable with spending a ton of money.

In fact, 43% of businesses consider cost to be the biggest deterrent to adopting sustainable practices.  They turn to inexpensive plastic packaging to presumably cut costs, but at the expense of severe environmental impact.

Contrary to common belief, the sustainable route can actually create cost reductions “if it is implemented at the design stage to reduce packaging size and material use,” according to Raconteur.

So, connect with what your customers care about and want to spend their hard-earned money on. When your brand uses sustainable packaging options, you’re investing in your customers, your company, and the future of the planet.

Conclusion

So, do customers really care about sustainable packaging? The answer is YES. Your customers want to have a positive impact on the environment and are willing to spend more to do so. They want to shop from brands that care as much as they do about sustainability.

By choosing to be a sustainable brand and using eco-friendly packaging, you provide your customers with a high-quality product and a way to make a difference.