Sustainability assessment and consumer perception of packaging

In the face of growing resource scarcity and socio-environmental concerns, more sustainable packaging solutions are becoming increasingly important, especially in the context of circular economy and bioeconomy.

Although consumers are showing a growing interest in recycling and environmentally friendly packaging, they often find it difficult to properly assess sustainability. Most of them cannot distinguish between materials such as recycled, biodegradable, and bio-based plastics, because they are not always visually recognizable. This lecture addresses how consumers perceive and evaluate sustainable packaging, as social acceptance plays a key role in successfully launching innovative, sustainable packaging solutions to the market.The results show that consumers choose sustainable packaging mainly based on color and material. Although they appreciate sustainability claims, consumers want them to be easy to understand. The design should not be too novel and should align with brand recognition, as well as the price and quality of the product. Overall, consumers are still reluctant to pay significantly more for sustainable packaging.

This is why clearly communicating the added value is essential for achieving wider acceptance. The results provide recommendations for actions, such as design guidelines and recommendations for consumer communication, to enable the appropriate acceptance of new sustainable packaging by consumers and ensure a successful market launch.