A new European consumer packaging study has revealed that climate change (68%), cost of living (66%), and warfare (56%), as ranked by the over 5000 surveyed across Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom, are the three largest issues affecting consumers.
In parallel, despite these global concerns, 62% of European respondents claimed that a sustainable lifestyle has become ‘more important’ or ‘very much more important’ over the last two years.
The survey, commissioned by Pro Carton, a European association for carton and cartonboard manufacturers and conducted by Perspectus Global used the survey to gather attitudes towards the environment and packaging perceptions.
As voted by 77% in Italy, 72% in Spain, and 70% in France, climate change ranked as the most significant issue for consumers, while the UK reported the cost of living as the most severe, as voted by 75%. Germany, with one million refugees from Ukraine in the country, expressed warfare as its greatest concern voted by 66%, and for the older generations, climate change was their greatest concern, with those aged 60 and above surpassing the European average at 71%.
Despite this, the survey reflected that consumers are still taking the time to be considerate towards the environment, such as recycling, with just under half, 49%, of those surveyed stating they were now recycling more than they were a year ago.
When asked about which packaging materials can be recycled, 82% of individuals expressed a degree of confidence in their ability to discern between recyclable and non-recyclable packaging.
The survey revealed a trust in the recyclability of sustainable materials, such as corrugated cardboard and folding cartons, with confidence levels reaching 90% and 87% respectively on average in Europe.
The study also showed 58.2% of consumers across the EU believed companies are doing enough, and 41.8% indicated there is more to be done. Italy stood out the most, with 66% of consumers feeling that businesses are on the right track, followed by the UK at 63%, Germany and Spain with 56%, while France holds less optimistic views at 50%.
Winfried Muehling, director of marketing and communications at Pro Carton, commented, ‘Even with continuing concerns surrounding global conflict and the economy, it is clear that environmental issues remain very high on the consumer agenda.
‘The results are highly reflective of this, painting a clear picture that sustainability matters to European consumers, and they are willing to act upon this.
‘Companies that prioritise eco-friendly packaging solutions, minimise unnecessary materials, and ensure recyclability, are extremely well-positioned to capture this growing market segment and gain a competitive edge.’
