The many benefits of sustainable packaging

Consumer demand for sustainable packaging is increasing: this is according to a report commissioned from Gfk by Pro Carton, based on a panel of 30,000 consumers. Over 64% of respondents said that packaging should consist of environmentally friendly materials and over 55% felt that packaging should contain as little plastic as possible. Consumers believe that the use of cartonboard is preferable, because it is a recyclable raw material which has a lower impact on the environment than plastic. Furthermore the amount of packaging should be minimised, whilst ensuring adequate protection and handling of the product.

Compact packaging has significant benefits for the environment, businesses, distribution and end-users themselves: not only because it is easier to dispose of, but also because it enables more products to be transported at the same time, thus contributing to the reduction of CO2 emissions. Other significant advantages include the energy saved during manufacturing, as well as easier warehouse storage, accessibility at the point of sale and manageability during purchase and transport to the consumer’s home.

No wonder then, that the sustainable packaging sector is growing much faster than the overall packaging industry. According to a report by Pike Research, sector revenues will increase from $88 billion in 2009 to $170 billion in 2014, reaching a total market value of 27%.

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