A new report from independent market analyst Datamonitor identifies that sustainable packaging is a growing consumer issue that has the potential to benefit numerous stakeholders. At present, U.S. consumers’ interest in packaging is relatively low in general, but with a high proportion of consumers interested in the sustainability aspect of packaging.

Sustainably oriented packaging is one of a growing number of issues driven by ethics, economics, and environmentalism. It is becoming a consumer expectation, albeit not a primary purchase motivator. Economic imperatives, as well as possible greater regulation, mean that more brands need to consider sustainable packaging in order to adapt their present approach, comments Matthew Adams, consumer analyst at Datamonitor and author of the report.

The global economic recession is universally recognized as a negative and traumatic event for countries and individuals. If some crumb of comfort can be gained from the recession it is that it will change consumers’ lifestyles, and some of the changes could be deemed to be for the better, the report notes.

While recession means that consumers often have to act in a more self-serving manner for the sake of self-preservation, for instance consumers buying fewer Fairtrade groceries, many of the recession-inspired consumer behaviors could be said to be beneficial for the natural environment.

Recession makes everyone act more efficiently, and potentially less waste is created from fewer purchases being made, the report observes. Rising fuel costs have also made numerous consumer packaged goods companies question their current practices and seek cost savings by reducing packaging to reduce the amount of weight that is transported from factory, to shop, to the end consumer.

However, producers must consider the diverse elements of packaging in order to continue to protect products throughout their life cycle, while making credible adjustments to packaging that benefits all, the report cautions.

The results of Datamonitor’s consumer survey in the second half of 2008 showed that in the U.S., almost 50% of consumers felt that packaging design has a medium or high level of influence over their choice of food and drink products. However, of this proportion, only 18% felt it exerted a high level of influence on purchases. Consumers’ relationship with packaging in many ways is complex because few will admit to its importance, as it is often taken for granted, but increasing consumer concern about ecological matters means packaging is an issue that is rising to prominence.

Consumers vote with their wallets
In the 15 countries around the world surveyed by Datamonitor, consumers in the U.S. were some of the least concerned about over packaging of products in the household goods market. Only respondents in Germany, Brazil, and Russia were less concerned.

This does not necessarily mean that people in the U.S. are not ecologically minded, but instead that the media interest in sustainable packaging is currently low, and consumers are less aware of this particular issue. The emergent threat to unresponsive producers in the household goods market is if consumers in the U.S. choose to react to continued excessive packaging with their own proactive, preemptive methods.

One of the most obvious methods consumers can use to bring about change is to exercise their right to boycott products that do not meet their requirements or expectations. With this in mind, Datamonitor surveyed consumers from around the world in 2008 to see what proportion claims to have changed their buying behavior due to their concern about excessive packaging. In 2008, 35% of U.S. respondents agreed they seek alternative products if they deem the one they were considering buying is excessively packaged in any way. This is a fairly average response rate, but lags behind European countries such as France, Spain, and Sweden.

With this in mind all consumer packaged goods companies will continue to evaluate their packaging in order to align themselves with an emerging consumer trend. Sustainable packaging need not only be seen as a worthy environmental issue, but also as a “win-win situation” where consumers, producers, and the environment all reap the benefits. Updating packaging can also be a more credible way to make cost savings without having to indulge in such methods as “package shrink,” or more accurately “portion shrink,” where a smaller amount of the product is sold.