Shoppers want sustainable packaging; businesses must act

According to research recently invested in, 62% of shoppers try to buy products packaged in a more environmentally responsible way. With demand clearly there, it’s now time for more businesses to respond with action.

Striving for a circular economy on plastic is not only what customers want, but also the right thing to do. Academic research shows the plastic and climate change crises exacerbate one another and that they must be tackled in unison. As we start the road to COP27, we know that recycling is critical to creating a viable circular economy and tackling climate change and so we need recycled plastic packaging to be our default over new, virgin plastic.

The research we commissioned from Kantar took fish as an example of consumer purchasing habits and set to find out where customer ambitions are not being met by supply. It found that 60% of people that bought fish are seeking better plastic choices, and over three-quarters (78%) are willing to make changes to their shopping habits to achieve this.

That’s why we created the Prevented Ocean Plastic logo which is displayed on all our packaging. It shows that the product is packaged in high quality, certified and award-winning recycled plastic material made from discarded plastic collected from coastal areas at risk of cocean plastic pollution. Used by supermarkets and brands around the world, it meets regulatory health and safety standards, is traceable back to source and can be identified on-pack through its distinctive triangular logo. For shoppers, seeing the logo means they know they are protecting the oceans and marine life from pollution; reducing CO2 emissions; cutting the need for more virgin plastic; supporting people working in materials collection in developing countries across the world; and driving up standards across the ocean-bound plastic recycling industry.

Nearly three-quarters (73%) said they are interested in buying fish with Prevented Ocean Plastic packaging if it’s the same price or product available in other packaging, and 58% said they would swap to Prevented Ocean Plastic packaged fish if it was available in their supermarket.

It is clear consumers want to make more environmentally friendly decisions around plastic. Now is not the time to sacrifice sustainability for the sake of cost-cutting, we need swift action for the benefit of people and planet.

For more information about Prevented Ocean Plastic visit Preventedoceanplastic.com