Survey Shows Shoppers Willing To Pay More For Sustainable Packaging BY GREG KISHBAUGH Online shoppers are frustrated with a glut of packages ar- riving too big for the products being shipped, too flimsy, covered with too much tape or not being waterproof or recyclable, according to a survey conducted by DS Smith. Consumers in the survey (81 percent) overwhelmingly said sustainability of packaging matters to them, so much so that about 40 percent would pay more for that. A third said they would pay up to 24 percent more, and nearly another third would pay at least 25 percent or more. DS Smith said the results underscore its efforts to pro- vide environmentally friendly products that replace prob- lem plastics, remove carbon from supply chains and pro-
vide recycling solutions. The poll also showed widespread support among consumers to recycle. More than 40 per- cent said their recycling has increased since the onset of the COVID pandemic in March 2020, and nearly 70 per- cent said they recycle cardboard packaging from online deliveries always or most of the time. That embrace of recycling matches the spike in e-com- merce, with two thirds saying their frequency of buying
online has increased, and more than half saying they expect that to continue to grow. Still, consumers expressed frustrations. Citing boxes with too much extra space, 38 percent said about half of their deliveries were filled with air and 39 percent said it was a quarter of air. Among other problems with their packages: • Too big for the products being shipped, 41 percent • Uses too much filler, 29 percent • Not waterproof, 27 percent • Is flimsy and easily damaged, 25 percent • Uses too much plastic tape, 24 percent In a signal of their push for sustainable products, two thirds of consumers (64 per- cent) surveyed said they would be more likely to purchase products either pack- aged in or using paper and cardboard so it can be reused or recycled. • Difficult to open, 21 percent • Not recyclable, 12 percent Oversized boxes containing excess packing material take up more space during transit, so the potential ripple effect is un- necessary delivery trips, which can have an impact on the amount of carbon emissions being produced. “Online shopping remains popular so the onus is on business to design out waste and make sure materials can stay in use for as long as possible,” said DS Smith’s Mela- nie Galloway, Vice President Sales Market- ing and Innovation. “The idea of oversized boxes, containing excess packing material, that in turn overly fill delivery trucks, is not something any of us should perpetuate - consumers don’t want it, businesses can’t afford it, and ultimately the planet won’t thank us for it.”
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10 December 25, 2023
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